Silver Eyes
by MarisaRoseheart
Summary: Prequel to The Last Nobody. Bruixe, #14 in the Organization, finds her place among Nobodies and decides that being heartless isn't so bad. Features Axel, Roxas, and Demyx also other Org. members. T for language and just to be safe. Some 'romance' later...
1. Bruixe

For those of you who read The Last Nobody, I did say I would write a prequel… ugh. I hate that word. Prequel. Gross. But I think it's important, and I don't want to be done writing about Bruixe yet. I'm attached.

This one's a little different because I'm not really sure where it's going. I have a few ideas, one in particular that's probably going to piss off some of you… but don't worry, I'll fix it.

So, enjoy this fanfic about Bruixe in the Organization. And no, Riku's not in this one… sniff… well, not yet. I have an idea about how to work him in… you'll see.

* * *

Rubie glared back at the Eternal Kingdom behind her as if daring it to follow her. The marvelous white granite city loomed over the horizon, sparkling innocently. It doesn't look like a city of stuck-ups and fools, she thought bitterly. But you could never judge appearances. Never.

She strode moodily, shoulders hunched, for the outer wall, making for the silver gate that led to the outside worlds. When she got there, she noticed a man in a black coat leaning against it, arms folded.

"I've been waiting for you," he said.

"Who are you?" Rubie asked warily, shifting her shoulder bag to free her right hand, which she rested on the handle of the short sword – a kodachi – at her hip.

"The name's Axel," he said, lowering his hood to reveal a shock of red, spiky hair and emerald-green eyes. "A-X-E-L. Got it memorized?"

Rubie raised an eyebrow. "What do you want?"

"I've been sent for you," Axel said. He held out a black-gloved hand. "You're the new one, right? Rubesia."

Rubie grimaced at the use of her full name. "It's Rubie."

Axel grinned. "Is it really? After giving up your heart, can you really keep that name?"

"How do you know that?" Rubie demanded.

"Why else would I be here?" he wondered aloud. "I'm just like you… Rubie. Ugh. What a lame name. Here."

He put his hand out so his palm was facing her, and letters conjured themselves out of thin air. Her name…

RUBIE

As she watched, the letters flew in a complex pattern, rearranging themselves. There was a flash of light, and Rubie shut her eyes to block it out. When she opened them, the letters read:

BRUIXE

"That's better," Axel commented. "Bruixe. A fitting name."

She blinked. "I don't understand."

"Your new name," he told her. "For your new life, with the Organization."

She didn't answer, lost in thought. A new life? she thought. I can deal with that.

She stepped forward. "Bruixe it is."

He smiled, and together Axel and Bruixe set out for the worlds ahead.

* * *

"Whoa," Bruixe commented.

She had always known there were other worlds, but she'd never actually seen one. The World That Never Was, as Axel had called it, was a dark and creepy place, a giant city full of Heartless and shadows.

"Why's it called the World That Never Was?" Bruixe wanted to know.

"Because it doesn't really exist," Axel told her.

"If it didn't exist, we couldn't be walking through it," she argued.

Axel raised an eyebrow. "Well, it's not supposed to exist."

"What does that mean?"

"It's…" Axel sighed. "It's like us. We're not supposed to exist, so of course the world we made isn't supposed to either…"

"What do you mean we're not supposed to exist?" Bruixe asked. "Wait – you created this world? How do you do that? Is that allowed?"

"Do you ever stop asking questions?" Axel demanded, exasperated.

"Why do you care?" Bruixe questioned, just to get on his nerves.

It didn't work; he only laughed shortly. "Well, one at a time, then. What do you want to know?"

"You said we aren't supposed to exist."

"Well…" Axel rubbed the back of his neck. "Might as well just say it. You're a Nobody, Bruixe."

"Okay… what does that mean?"

"Can't believe this," Axel sighed. "What's the last thing you remember before I found you?"

"I don't…" _I don't know,_ she was going to say, but it wasn't true.

_Chains around her wrists, around her ankles, around her neck. So cold in this godforsaken dungeon… how long had she been in here? Days? Months? Years? It felt like eternity… there was no end to the cold, the unbearable quiet _noonehearsme_, the pain…_

_Pain…_

_**HE **__would come back soon, and she would scream and scream and scream _makeitstop_, and no one would hear her. __**HE**__ was coming more often now… she could still feel the crusted blood on her back and shoulders from last time… but even the whip wasn't as bad as the water… in her eyes in her nose in her mouth, surely she would drown but no, they always pulled her up, even if she tried to swallow the water _justletitend _they pounded it out of her, why couldn't they just let her die already…_

_She'd tried to strangle herself on the chain around her neck but couldn't get enough leverage. They hadn't even let her bite her tongue, that damn cloth in her mouth wouldn't let her _cantbreathe_ and all because she'd used the darkness _ISAIDIWASSORRY_ but that Councilor woman was dead and it was all her fault…_

_Darkness…_

_Maybe there __was__ a way out…_

_There wasn't much time… __**HE**__ would come soon… she reached out for the darkness…_

"Um," Bruixe said.

"You do remember, then?" Axel said knowingly. "You don't have to tell me, but I'm guessing you lost your heart somehow."

_I didn't want to lose my heart,_ she thought desperately. _I just wanted to die… and I wasn't dead, but the pain was gone…and the fear and the sadness…_

"That's what makes you a Nobody," Axel continued. "We Nobodies don't have hearts. We don't have feelings, either. In all logic, we shouldn't exist… but for some reason we do."

"We?" Bruixe whispered.

He nodded. "There's thirteen of us altogether… well, fourteen including you. Xemnas – he's our boss – says that usually Nobodies just become these mindless creatures. But the Organization is made of Nobodies that still have minds, and memories. We govern the lesser Nobodies. And now you're one of us."

_One of… them?_ Bruixe liked the sound of that. She had never really belonged anywhere. And the heart thing… a heart she could live without. _All it ever brought me was sorrow,_ she thought.

"So… where are we going?" Bruixe asked.

"There." Axel pointed out over the cliff they had just reached, into the sky. A massive white-and-grey castle floated there, defying gravity and logic. A gleaming silver pathway led up to the gates. "Organization headquarters: the Castle That Never Was."

"Original," Bruixe commented, and followed him in.


	2. Silver Eyes

Oh, yeah, I forgot to do this last chapter.

Who is Bruixe, exactly?

Well, you really should read The Last Nobody. But… for you slackers…

Bruixe is the new #14 in the Organization. She'll have an interesting future with the Destiny Island trio… it's a pretty epic adventure, but if you're not going to read The Last Nobody, I'm not sure I'm going to spoil the end of this one for you… so just go read it, okay? Her past is a little dark… oh, just go read TLN, I don't feel like explaining this.

Bruixe sees Kingdom Hearts in this chapter, but it's not as big as in KH2. It's a little moon.

Oh, and I don't own any of these characters (except for Bruixe, of course.)

Enjoy.

* * *

The tower – 'Altar of Naught,' Axel had called it – was huge, the tallest part of the castle, and open to the sky. You could see the Dark City from here – all of it – and the vast expanse of cloudy nothingness that surrounded the world. Only a few stars were visible, but Bruixe could make out a heart-shaped moon through the wispy clouds.

A man stood near the railing, arms raised to this moon, dressed in a black cloak of the same variety that Axel wore. His silver hair was long, down to his shoulder blades.

"Xemnas," Axel said. "I've brought the new recruit."

Xemnas turned, and Bruixe stifled a gasp – his eyes were an orangey-yellow, exactly like her father's.

"Is this her?"

Axel nodded, then muttered under his breath, "No, she's some hobo I picked up on the road."

Xemnas didn't seem to hear this. "Show me your face," he told Bruixe.

Bruixe obediently lifted her head, meeting Xemnas' gaze.

He raised an eyebrow, and Bruixe could guess why. Her eyes had always been her most distinguishing feature – a pure, bright silver, framed by long black lashes. People had called her stare 'eerie'. They said silver eyes weren't 'normal' – but then, neither was Bruixe.

Xemnas looked at her for a long time, then murmured, "Defiant… proud… very good. I see strength in you. You're a cut above the usual riffraff, aren't you? What is your name?"

"Ru –" Bruixe began, then corrected herself. "Bruixe. My name is Bruixe."

"A good name," he agreed. "I am Xemnas. They call me 'the Superior'."

"Um… nice to meet you," Bruixe said awkwardly, pretty sure that she should be respectful, but never given to etiquette.

"Axel, get her settled in, and show her around," Xemnas ordered. "She can share Larxene's room for now."

"Yes, sir," Axel said casually, then waved for Bruixe to follow him.

* * *

"Let's see," Axel muttered, rummaging through a closet. "First things first, I guess. You'll look kinda out of place without a cloak. You're about Demyx's size, I bet… try this on."

Bruixe did, pulling the cloak on over her black halter top and jeans. It fastened with a silver zipper and clasps.

"Looks better than it ever did on Waterboy," Axel commented. "Hell of a lot better, actually… you clean up pretty nice, kiddo…"

_Is he… hitting on me?_ Bruixe wondered suspiciously.

"You've got boots…" he went on. "Let's see… gloves…"

Once she was dressed, Axel asked, "Do you have your own weapons?"

"Yeah," Bruixe said.

"Great. And do you know magic?"

"Um…" The truth was, Bruixe did know magic… but only by using the darkness, and she didn't want to go there. "No."

"Oh, great," Axel groaned. "Well, then, let's go see Zexie, he can teach you…"

"Zexie?" Bruixe repeated dubiously.

"Zexion," Axel told her. "He's number 6."

"What does that mean?"

"Well… the Organization was founded by six people… Xemnas, Xigbar, Xaldin, Vexen, Lexaeus, and Zexion," he explained. "Those are numbers 1-6 in the Organization. After that, people took numbers by when they joined… Saix was the first after the original six, so he was number 7… I'm eight… Demyx is nine, Luxord's ten, Marluxia and Larxene are eleven and twelve, and Roxas is number 13. I guess that makes you number 14. Huh… you need a nickname…" He anticipated her next question. "We've all got titles – I'm the Flurry of Dancing Flames… I know, I know, it's lame." He whispered conspiratorially, "It sounded better in Japanese."

Bruixe raised an eyebrow. "Let's go meet this Zexion person," she suggested.

"Oh, yeah," Axel remembered. "Brace yourself…"


	3. Settling In

Sorry it took so long to update… really unmotivated… but the chapter's longer this time.

Anyway, this chapter will feature a new type of Nobody, one especially for Bruixe. And Sitar Hero! Yeah! The song Bruixe sings is 'So Sick' by Flyleaf. I picked it because it's a girl singer, and it seemed to fit her.

And I don't own any of the characters, blah blah blah, just Bruixe. Enjoy.

* * *

"Is that real?" Bruixe whispered.

She was referring to the hair, of course.

It was silvery-blue, and long and stringy, and completely and totally fake-looking.

"Yes, it's real," Axel said. He cleared his throat. "Zexion, this is Bruixe, our newest member. And you're the magic guy…"

A voice emerged from under the hair. "I suppose I am," it said dully.

Bruixe looked closer and saw that there was actually a face under those silvery locks. Zexion was young, with dark, narrow eyes and fair skin. He looked Bruixe over appraisingly. "Do you use magic?"

"No," Bruixe replied.

He glared at her. "Why are you lying to me?"

She blinked. Axel turned to stare at her. "I wasn't lying," she said coolly. "I am capable of using magic, yes. But you asked, 'do I use magic.' And I don't."

"Why not?" Zexion demanded.

"I don't believe that's any of your business," Bruixe scoffed.

Zexion glared at her again, but turned away. "We'll begin tomorrow," he told her, apparently losing interest. "Be here at dusk."

Bruixe waited for more, but Axel pulled her away and out of the room. "Don't mind Zexie," he said. "He's always got a stick up his butt. Doesn't like dirtying his own hands. Kind of a pansy if you ask me."

"Now what?" Bruixe asked.

"Now we find you some lesser Nobodies to order around," he replied. "Let's see… ew, that means visiting Vexie. Oh well… maybe we'll get the chance to blow up his latest experiment."

"Is there anyone in this place that you like?" Bruixe demanded.

Axel appeared to consider this. "Roxas," he replied thoughtfully. "And Demyx. And you, I guess."

"Charmed," Bruixe muttered darkly. "…Vexie?"

Axel grinned, then put on his best snooty look. " 'I am a scientist,'" he said regally, nose in the air. " 'Experimentation is what I do.'" He then resumed his normal expression. "That's Vexen for you."

* * *

Vexen's room was nothing less than a full-blown laboratory, complete with ominously bubbling liquids, vials and beakers strewn upon every surface, and glowing body tanks lining the walls. The Chilly Academic was bent over a lab table, a vial of something purple in one hand. Axel walked up behind him, and Vexen turned around.

"Do you have some business here?" he said icily. "Or are you volunteering to be part of my latest experiment? Because after your last fiasco in my laboratory, I'm not about to let you near anything in here – except perhaps my hydrochloric acid tank."

Axel held up his hands. "Bruixe needs a battalion," he said innocently. "No fiascos here."

Vexen scowled, but pointed wordlessly to an in-use tank on the north wall. Axel led Bruixe to it, and she examined the creature within.

At first glance, it appeared to be feline, with four legs and a ropy tail. But when she looked closer, she realized the front two legs were wickedly curved blades, and the creature had no face, only the cross-like Nobody crest. Its hind legs were double-jointed, which would allow it to walk either upright or on all fours.

"What is it?" Bruixe breathed, fascinated.

"A Rogue," answered Vexen. "Larxene caught that thing wriggling around Darkisle four days ago. It's surprisingly fast and agile, with the ability to vanish and reappear behind its enemy. It almost slit Larxene's throat before she managed to pin it down."

"Will there be more?" Axel asked.

Vexen nodded dispassionately. "I kept this one for the new member."

"The new member has a name," Bruixe muttered irritably. Vexen ignored this.

"Put your hand here," he said, pointing at a touch screen on the tank controls. Bruixe did, and a warm, tingling sensation buzzed over her palm. The tank began to empty, and the door slid open. The Rogue twitched, awakening, and slunk out of the tank.

"Cool," she whispered. The Nobody pushed itself up onto its hind legs, its tail twitching. It saluted with one bladed arm, then vanished on the spot.

"It's gathering its buddies," Axel told her. "Give it a day or two, and you'll have your very own battalion to command."

"But what do I need a battalion for?" Bruixe asked as they left Vexen's laboratory.

"You'll see," he promised. "First I want you to meet the guys."

He led her into yet another room, where two young men had their backs turned, facing a giant wall on which some sort of video game was displayed. One had light brown, shoulder length hair; the other was a spiky-haired blonde, a good head shorted than the first. Each player had a guitar-shaped controller in their hands.

After a few seconds, the blonde guitarist ripped off his neck strap and threw the controller against the ground, apparently having lost.

"Hey! Easy with the merchandise!" complained the winner.

"You always win," the blonde grumbled. "Stupid sitars…"

"This is the most awesome game EVER!" the taller man yelled. "See, I told you Sitar Hero 3 was gonna be good…"

"Matter of opinion," his opponent muttered.

"Hel-loooo," Axel called. "Losers. We've got company." Both whirled to face them, unaware that someone had come in behind them. "Boys, this is Bruixe. Bruixe, these are Demyx and Roxas. The short one's Roxas."

"I'm not short!" Roxas complained.

The other three, all taller than him by at least four inches, just stared.

"Not compared to normal people, anyway," he grumbled.

"Nice to meet you," Demyx said politely. Then he turned to Roxas. "You'd win more often if you'd just keep to the beat."

"I hate playing sitar," Roxas said. "Let's play Rock Band instead. Then I can play drums again."

"Sounds like fun," Axel agreed. "Bruixe, you want to play?"

"Um… sure?" Bruixe offered, not sure what she was getting into.

"Dibs on drums!" Roxas yelled.

"Lead sitar!" Demyx echoed.

Axel shook his head. "Demyx, we've been over this. There is no sitar. It is a lead guitar. If you want to play sitar, go somewhere else."

"Fine, then," Demyx mumbled. "Lead guitar."

"And I'll play bass," Axel decided.

"You're gonna make Bruixe sing?" Roxas objected. "Bully."

"Well, you don't wanna hear me sing," the redhead replied.

"Point taken." Roxas held out a corded microphone, offering it to Bruixe.

She stared. "Wait… singing?!"

"It's not that hard," Demyx assured her. "You don't even have to sing on pitch. Just close."

"It's not that – I – I'm not singing in front of strangers!" she yelled.

Demyx grinned widely, and before Bruixe knew it she was enveloped in a bear hug. "No strangers here!" the Nocturne said gleefully, driving a noogie into her scalp.

Bruixe acted instinctively, flipping him over her head and to the ground.

Axel and Roxas stared at her.

"Ow…" complained Demyx from the floor.

"Sorry," she said. "Reflex. But I'm not singing in front of you people."

Axel wiggled his eyebrows. "Scared?" he taunted.

"No!" Bruixe argued instinctively.

Axel didn't reply, only snickered. Demyx picked himself off of the floor and patted her on the shoulder. "It's okay if you're nervous," he told her. "Roxas can sing."

"No," Roxas said quickly.

Bruixe glared at all three of them. "Manipulative assholes," she growled, and tore the microphone from Roxas' grasp.

Bruixe was determined to show them all up, fully aware that she was being manipulative but unable, as always, to back down from a challenge. Just to prove herself, she set the difficulty level to Hard. Demyx chose Expert, Roxas took Medium, and Axel took Hard as well.

On screen, words appeared near the top.

_I will break into your thoughts  
__With what's written on my heart  
__I will break_

All three jumped, startled, when she screamed the word 'break', but quickly looked away to their own portions of the screen.

_I'm so sick, infected with  
__Where I live  
__Let me live without this  
__Empty bliss, selfishness  
__I'm so sick  
__I'm so sick_

She went through the entire song only missing two notes (during the bridge), and finished with full Overdrive.

When the song ended, three pairs of eyes – green, brown, blue – stared at her.

"Hey…" said Roxas finally. "She's… really good."

"Jeez," Axel said, whistling.

"Um, hello!" Demyx interrupted. "I just got a 99 on Expert mode. I think I deserve kudos too!"

"Demyx, you always do awesome," Axel pointed out. "We didn't expect it from her."

"Excuse me?" Bruixe said incredulously. "I never said I wasn't good."

"Yeah, but you never said you were a professional rockstar either," Roxas told her.

"What can I say? I'm a natural," she gloated.

"Modest, too," Axel muttered.


	4. Orders

Another chapter! Wooo!

Sorry, guys, but this is another 'filler' chapter. The good stuff will start soon, I promise. Be patient!

I do not own any of the characters. You know the drill. Enjoy.

* * *

It was nearly midnight when Bruixe and the boys finally tired of Rock Band. Roxas had finally passed out, sprawling across the drum pads. Demyx set down his guitar controller and flopped on the ground. Axel and Bruixe did likewise, until all four of them were lying on the floor, energy completely gone.

Finally Axel pushed himself up. "Come on, Bruixe, I'll show you to your room. Well, it's not your room, exactly."

He led her to another doorway (_just how many rooms does this place have? _Bruixe wondered) and paused. "You'll be sharing with Larxene," Axel told her apologetically. "Sorry, but this castle was only built for thirteen people, we weren't expecting any more… and Larxene's the only other girl, so it made sense for you two to share. She's a bit… um… well, annoying. But hang in there."

"Gee, thanks," Bruixe told him, yawning. "'Night."

She walked in to see a huge bedroom with white furniture and two beds shoved against opposite walls. On the right-hand side, a blonde woman was asleep, facing the wall. Bruixe walked over to the left-hand bed and collapsed, curling up into a catlike position as she fell asleep.

* * *

"Who the hell are you?"

Bruixe opened her eyes groggily to see a blurry image of a woman. _Does she have… antennae?_

She blinked several times and realized that they were not, in fact, antennae, but strands of hair. _So many weird hairstyles in this place,_ Bruixe thought.

"I asked who you were," the blonde repeated forcefully.

"Bruixe," she answered. "Your new roommate. Go away, I'm going back to sleep." She rolled over, turning her back on the woman.

"The hell you are!" Larxene shrieked. "Is this some kind of joke? My roommate? I'm not sharing a room with anyone! Was this Marluxia's idea? I can't believe this!"

"What, like you're surprised?" Bruixe said angrily, sitting up. Ordinarily she wouldn't have been such a smart-ass to strangers, but she was sleep-deprived and not in the mood for early morning complainers. "Did you think there was an extra bed in here for your convenience? Jeez. Axel told me you were annoying, but I didn't expect such a spoiled bitch…"

Larxene's face turned bright red with fury. "How dare you –"

"What's going on in here?" demanded a voice from the door. Bruixe turned to see a huge man with way too much black hair standing in the doorway.

Larxene seemed to deflate. "Nothing," she said, voice bored. "Keep your pants on, Xaldin. I was just leaving."

Bruixe shook her head. This Organization was full of surprises.

* * *

"This is ridiculous!" Axel was yelling.

"What's ridiculous?" Bruixe asked, letting herself in to Axel's room. Roxas was sprawled across the couch, and Demyx sat on a stool, strumming what looked like a giant blue guitar. The musician rolled his eyes.

"They're shipping me out!" Axel told her. He was pacing around the room, little dust motes bursting into flame in midair around him. The word 'hothead' came to mind. "With the Thunderbitch and the Flower King, no less! What did I do to deserve this, huh?"

"Marluxia's in charge, right?" Roxas pointed out. "Maybe he has a crush on you."

"I'm SO FLATTERED!" Axel roared, and the edges of the room burst into flame.

"Wow," Bruixe commented. "Two words for you, big guy: anger management."

"I got it," called Demyx, and strummed a few chords; suddenly there was water everywhere, and the fires were out. "Temper, pyro," he reminded Axel.

The redhead growled.

"Does someone want to tell me what's going on?" Bruixe demanded, flopping on the couch next to Roxas.

"A few weeks ago, Marluxia finds this castle," Roxas told her. "He's like, 'I have this castle, and if you want it, Xemnas, you can have it.'"

"Suck-up," Axel muttered.

"Anyway, so a few days ago, Xemnas gets this bright idea that we're gonna have two bases," Demyx picked up the story. "And I guess he's chosen who's going. Marluxia's in charge –"

"Go figure," Axel grumbled.

"Calm down," Roxas advised. "You'll torch the furniture."

"– and Axel and Larxene are with him," Demyx finished.

"Vexie, Lexie, and Zexie are going too," Roxas told him.

Axel kicked a chair. "It's the stupidest thing ever. The whole point is to catch this Keybearer guy, right?"

Roxas shifted uncomfortably.

"So until we do, I'm stuck in the middle of nowhere with four jerks and the Thunderbitch," Axel complained. "And even if we do catch him, there's no way Marluxia's gonna turn him over. You've seen how power-hungry that guy is. He'll try to overthrow us, I just know it."

"Since when do you care about loyalty, Axel?" Roxas wondered.

"Since I'm gonna be the one to fry for this!" the redhead yelled. "I'm Xemnas' favorite scapegoat, remember?"

Bruixe shrugged. "Is this Marluxia guy really that bad?"

The three of them just stared at her.

"Okay, okay, I'm guessing he is," she said hastily. "So just… rat him out."

"No can do," Demyx told her. "Xemnas thinks the sun shines out of Marluxia's flowery butt. He'd never believe he's a traitor."

"So… catch him yourself," Bruixe suggested.

Axel's eyes lit up. "What?"

"You heard me," she smirked. "Play the double-agent. Get Marluxia to trust you, then once you have enough evidence to prove he's a sham, bust his ass. Or you could just bring him down from the inside – take him out yourself."

"She's diabolical," Roxas breathed.

Demyx shook his head. "I'm glad she's on our side," he admitted.

"It's perfect," Axel said in awe. "Bruixe, I love you!" He tackled her into a bear hug.

"Um… thanks?" she replied uncertainly. "Now get off. When do you ship out?"

"In three days," Axel told her. "That reminds me, you have orders too."

"What orders?" Bruixe asked warily.

He grinned. "Mine."


	5. The Tower

One more chapter. Yeah, we're on a roll! This chapter is the beginning of the idea that might piss some of you off. Get over it. Besides, how often do you get to throw Axel off a building anyway? You should be thanking me.

Yes, I know none of that made sense. Just read the chapter already. Disclaimer... blah blah blah...

Bruixe has quite a temper. Read and review, please!

* * *

"Your orders?" Bruixe asked skeptically.

Axel nodded. "Actually, it's nothing special," he admitted. "But apparently I'm gonna be gone for a while, so you're taking my place until I get back."

"What?!" Demyx spluttered. "No one can replace Axel."

"How hard can it be?" Bruixe replied. She messed up her hair so it was spiky and crossed her arms, shifting her weight to one side. "The name's Bruixe. B-R-U-I-X-E. Got it memorized?"

Demyx fell on the floor laughing. Even Roxas cracked a grin. "She does it better than you do, Axel," the blonde remarked.

"Shut up," his best friend said crossly. He turned to Bruixe. "Are you done?"

"For now," she replied, smirking. She patted her hair back into place.

"Good," Axel said. "Then let me show you the ropes."

* * *

"Welcome to Twilight Town," Axel told her.

Bruixe surveyed the new world appraisingly, scowling. They were on the top of a clock tower, looking down over a deserted town. "It's too cozy," she said.

He nodded, grinning. "Yeah, it makes me sick. But it gets better. Look." He pointed down at a street below. Three Neoshadow Heartless slunk through the shadows. Another street was swarming with Soldier Heartless. "The Heartless love this place," Axel explained. "We don't really know why. The locals abandoned it a long time ago, although Vexen keeps saying that if we keep killing Heartless, they're bound to come back. Twilight Town's our main hunting grounds. Heartless are so easy to find."

"Sounds dumb," Bruixe said. "What's the point? Hunting Heartless, I mean."

"Kingdom Hearts," Axel said dramatically. He smirked. "Xemnas and Saix have got this idea into their heads that Kingdom Hearts is the secret to getting our hearts back."

Bruixe shifted uncomfortably. She still wasn't sure she wanted her heart back.

"And killing Heartless seems to make Kingdom Hearts grow," Axel went on. "So… every day, Roxas and Demyx and I come out here and blast Heartless into oblivion. Sometimes the others come too."

"Cozy summer town… abandoned town full of Heartless," Bruixe murmured. "Definitely like the second one better. Sounds good."

"I thought you might say that," Axel remarked. "So, I've got three days before I ship out, which means three days to teach you to fight."

Bruixe glared at him. "What makes you think I don't know how to fight?" she argued. "I can hold my own."

He held up his hands. "Sorry. …Now that I think of it, you're probably really strong."

Bruixe didn't really know what to say to that. She stared back out over Twilight Town, thinking about hearts. _Do I really want mine back?_ she wondered. _Pain, sadness, anger… not worth it to me._

Her thoughts were interrupted by an unfamiliar sensation in her leg. She looked down to see Axel's hand on her knee.

Bruixe whipped her head around; Axel was looking at her with a gleam in his eyes that Bruixe didn't recognize. "What the hell?" she demanded.

"It's not my fault you're irresistible," he told her, moving closer.

Bruixe reacted instinctively, shoving him away. Only after she had moved did she remember they were on top of a tower. "What –" Axel had time to yelp before he tumbled over the side.

* * *

"Goddamn it, Bruixe!"

"I'd say I'm sorry, but I'd be lying," Bruixe retorted angrily as she strode back into the Castle That Never Was. Axel had been fine, of course, slipping through a portal at the last minute.

"You could've killed me!" the redhead argued.

"More's the pity I didn't," she told him coolly.

Demyx and Roxas met them at the entrance. "What… what's wrong?" Roxas asked uncertainly, seeing Bruixe's rather frightening expression.

"Ask him!" she shouted, brushing past them. This time Axel didn't follow.

"Axel, what'd you do?" she heard Demyx ask.

Bruixe stormed into her room, slamming the door behind her. Thankfully Larxene was nowhere to be seen. She fell facedown on her bed, burying her face in her pillow to let out a nice, long scream.

_Creep,_ she thought. _I __thought__ he was hitting on me that first day. I've been here, what, two days, and he's already trying to feel me up?! And he can't even say he likes my personality, because Nobodies can't feel things like that. He just wants me. My body. Not __me__._

A knock sounded on the door. "Go AWAY!" she yelled.

The door opened anyway. "It's me," Roxas said.

Bruixe sat up moodily. "What?"

"Axel told us what happened," the blonde began. "Sorry."

She shrugged noncommitally, looking away.

"He shouldn't have done that," Roxas went on. "But you know Axel. Never thinks things through. We don't call him 'hothead' because of the fire thing, you know. I'm not saying what he did was okay."

"That's for sure," Bruixe muttered.

"But go easy on him," he went on. "He'll realize it was a mistake, it'll just take a few hours. Try and forgive him. He won't do it again."

"He better not," she grumbled, but nodded. "…Thanks, Roxas."

"Anytime," the kid promised. He hesitated. "Did you really throw him off the clock tower?"

Bruixe nodded.

"Cool," Roxas murmured. "Remind me to stay on your good side."


	6. The Twilight Avenger

At long last, another update! Sorry it's been awhile… but Bruixe is once again back for more.

This chapter's kind of short, and it's a filler, sorry. Get over it. And by the way, I don't own any of the characters except Bruixe. Enjoy.

* * *

Bruixe woke to the sound of a quietly closed door and faint footsteps; she rolled over to see Larxene tiptoeing across the floor, evidently trying not to wake her up. The blonde's bed was still made – had she even slept in it tonight?

Bruixe decided it was best not to think about that.

"What time is it?" she mumbled sleepily.

"Shit," Larxene cursed when she saw her roommate awake. "Um… seven."

Bruixe blinked the sleep from her eyes and groaned as yesterday's events came back to her. _Axel… ugh…_There was no way she was going back to bed now.

She shoved herself out of bed and threw on her cloak, heading out the door.

"Well, I'm going back to sleep," she heard Larxene say as she left.

* * *

"Morning!" Demyx called cheerfully as Bruixe plopped on his couch. Axel and Roxas apparently weren't awake yet. "You're up early."

"Larxene woke me up," Bruixe said wickedly. "She must've just gone to sleep."

Demyx raised an eyebrow in appraisal. "Scary." He motioned to the wall. "Sitar Hero?"

"Don't go easy on me," Bruixe warned.

He grinned. "I won't."

After an hour of trying and failing to beat Demyx, Bruixe tossed aside the controller in defeat. "I give up," she sighed.

Roxas stumbled blearily into the room and promptly collapsed on the couch. "Where's Axel?" he mumbled.

Bruixe's eyebrows snapped together.

"Not up yet," Demyx told him cautiously. "Bruixe, are you okay?"

"Fine," she growled, mentally daring him to pursue the subject.

He wisely let it drop. "Hey, there's a party tonight."

"Why?" Roxas mumbled from the couch.

"Beats me," his friend shrugged. "My guess is, Xigbar's just looking for an excuse to get drunk."

"You know what that means, right?" the blonde said, sitting up.

Demyx smiled evilly. "Prank time."

Bruixe looked back and forth between the two of them. "Do I even want to know?"

"It's a tradition," Axel said from the doorway, sauntering in. "If you drink slow, everyone else passes out first. And that's when the fun begins."

Bruixe glared at him, silver eyes dangerously narrow.

He didn't meet her gaze, rubbing his neck. Finally he looked up. "Owe you an apology," he said sheepishly.

"Like hell you do," she growled. Demyx backed slowly away, and he and Roxas pretended to be transfixed with the video wall.

"Sorry," Axel replied. "I… well, can you forgive me?"

He sounded appropriately apologetic, but Bruixe wasn't convinced. She turned away. "Don't do it again," she told him.

"Yes, ma'am," Axel agreed. "Getting thrown off towers is not my idea of fun."

Demyx joined the conversation, now that he knew it was safe. "Wish I could've seen that," he sighed. "Axel falling to his death through the air…"

"Hey, watch it," the redhead warned.

"You need a near-death experience every now and then," Roxas informed him. "Keeps you honest."

"Ha ha," said Axel.

"Party?" Bruixe reminded them.

"It'll be tonight," Demyx explained. "Karaoke, alcohol… actually, usually the alcohol comes first. You should see Axel's rendition of 'Great Balls of Fire'."

Roxas laughed, apparently remembering the occasion.

"Which means there won't be missions today," Demyx went on. "People just kind of hang out and do nothing."

"As per usual," Bruixe commented. "Should've slept in."

"So, what's it like sharing a room with the Thunderbitch?" Axel wanted to know.

Bruixe grinned at the nickname. "Not that bad, actually. Half the time she isn't even there."

"Where does she go?" Axel asked warily.

"Take your pick," she answered. "I'm guessing it's usually Marluxia or Luxord… I could see Saix or Zexion too… and Xigbar kinda looks like he could be a player…"

"Why would Larxene go there?" Roxas asked.

The three stared at him.

"We'll tell you when you're older," Demyx said finally. "Anyone up for Rock Band?"

"Not on your life, Waterboy," Axel said. "I'm still hungover from last time."

"Roxas?"

The blonde blanched. "Too early."

"Please, please, please?" Demyx begged. "Bruixe?"

Bruixe shook her head. "Sorry. Hey, Axel, didn't you say something about me getting a nickname?"

He shrugged. "Usually we just pick something that fits. For you, something violent."

"Ha ha," she frowned.

"Yeah! Like 'avenger' or something!" Roxas said excitedly.

Demyx was unhappy with the change of subject, but he joined in anyway. "What's your element?" he asked.

"Element?" Bruixe asked. "I don't know. How am I supposed to know?"

"Mine's fire," Axel bragged. "It's pretty much the coolest, not gonna lie."

"It'd be cool to have wind or ice too," Roxas said. "It's wasted on Vexy and the Wolf-man."

"Hear, hear," Demyx and Axel chorused.

"What kind of element is 'the moon'?" Bruixe wondered. "Lame."

"It's better than Marluxia the Flower King," Axel pointed out.

Bruixe thought about the girly-man's pink scythe. "True. But what's mine?"

The boys looked at her for a long time.

"Twilight," Demyx said finally.

Bruixe raised an eyebrow. "How the hell did you get that?"

"Black hair like the night," he replied dramatically. "Eyes of dusky silver… twilight descends upon the world of mortals."

"Drugs are bad, Waterboy," Axel told him.

"The Twilight Avenger!" Roxas said excitedly. "It's perfect!"

Bruixe thought for a moment, deciding she liked it. "Sounds bad-ass. I'll take it."


	7. Tricksters

Another chapter up, another prank pulled… yay. For some reason I really, really like making fun of Demyx.

Thanks to Lauren for being the ultimate authority on all things Waterboy, and for taking my snide remarks well. You're the best. More or Less in this chapter! Woot! Also thanks to my little brother for coming up with the idea for the opening of this chapter.

For those of you that didn't know, the voice actor for Roxas is Jesse McCartney. Remember that.

I also found this worthy of mention: I was writing this chapter in my room with the radio on, and just as I wrote the opening part with Demyx, the song 'Dirty Little Secret' came on, which I found HYSTERICALLY FUNNY. I literally fell off my chair laughing.

Furthermore, reviews have been SADLY LACKING as of late. Grr. Review, please.

That said, enjoy.

* * *

Axel and Roxas had been shanghaied into setting up for the party, so Bruixe went alone to Demyx's room so they could go together.

"Knock, knock," she said as she went in, and froze.

Demyx was in front of the video wall, shredding madly on the Rock Band guitar controller, surrounded by three water clones, one gurgling incoherently into the microphone, the others on bass and drumset. Apparently he'd been very, very desperate for someone to play with.

But this wasn't the worst part.

Demyx was stark naked.

"AAAHHHH!" Bruixe yelled, clapping her hands over her eyes and burying her face in the wall.

"B-Bruixe?" Demyx spluttered. There was a splash as the water clones disappeared, and a clatter of plastic as the guitar controller fell to the floor.

"What the hell, Demyx!" she shrieked into the wall.

"Hey, it's my room!" he said defensively. "People knock first –"

"You knew I was coming," Bruixe pointed out.

There was a brief silence. "No privacy in my own room," he muttered. "Perfectly normal –"

"Normal people wear clothes, Waterboy," she argued.

"Normal people have hearts," he shot back.

"Just put something on!"

Only when she was sure Demyx was clothed did Bruixe turn back around. Now he was frowning into his closet. "Why is one of my cloaks missing?" he wondered aloud.

"Because I'm wearing it," she told him. "We're the same size, so Axel gave it to me."

"What!?" he exploded, leaping over the couch to chase her around the room. "Give it back, give it back!"

"I can't, I'm wearing it!" she laughed, too quick for him to catch, always flitting just ahead of his outstretched hands, until finally he tripped over the drumset and sprawled on the ground. Bruixe promptly tackled him, pinning his arms and sitting on his chest.

"Uncle," he grunted.

"No mercy," she informed him.

Demyx grinned wickedly. "If Axel could see this, he'd be jealous."

Bruixe scowled, climbing off of him. As soon as he was on his feet, she clobbered him with a right hook that laid him out flat again.

Smirking, she sauntered off, and he scrambled to follow her, streaming mixed curses and complaints.

* * *

The party wasn't so bad after all, and Bruixe had to admit that the Nobodies were hysterically funny once they had a few drinks in them. Xigbar was sitting in the corner, cocking and recocking his purple guns, giggling like an idiot at the sound. Vexen had been mixing drinks, and was a shade of ruddy red that seemed out of place on his pale, icy features.

Someone called for karaoke, Roxas stood up at the mike, singing 'Leaving' by Jesse McCartney. "You sound just like him!" Demyx called when he was done. Axel shoved Bruixe towards the mock stage, and she smirked, launching into a song by Pink.

_I'm not here for your entertainment  
__You don't really wanna mess with me tonight  
__Just stop and take a second  
__I was fine before you walked into my life  
_'_Cause you know it's over, before it began  
__Keep your drink, just give me the money  
__It's just you and your hand tonight_

The whole time she looked directly at Axel, and he scowled deeper with every line, throwing back drinks until Bruixe knew he was wasted. When the song was over, she pulled Axel up to the stage, and a loud chant of "Great Balls! Great Balls!" went around the room.

Of course the hothead didn't let his fans down, even dancing around on the tabletops as he belted out lyrics.

Meanwhile Luxord and Demyx were in a corner playing More or Less, and from the looks of it, Demyx was losing gloriously to the gambler. Larxene leaned over them at a carefully calculated angle, cloak zipped low, displaying her cleavage for all to see. Bruixe and Roxas were taking turns chucking bits of straw wrappers at her, trying to get them down her cloak. "What a ho," Bruixe remarked.

"What's that?" Roxas wanted to know."

Bruixe choked back a laugh, but managed to keep a straight face. "Um… go ask Axel."

"Why?" Demyx asked when he had gone. "Why would you do that? That poor kid."

"Axel, what's a ho?" Roxas asked innocently.

The pyromaniac didn't even blink. "Oh, it's like a nickname for your friends. Tell you what, go tell Lexaeus, 'what's up, ho?' He looks like he could use some friendship."

Roxas returned sporting two black eyes and a bloody nose. "Axel?"

"Yeah?"

"It doesn't mean 'friend', does it."

"Nope," the redhead smirked.

Eventually the fervor died down, and a few of the Organization ended up passed out on the floor, including Xaldin, Vexen, Saix and Lexaeus. Roxas was looking quite sick, and Bruixe reflected that he was even more underage than she was. _Oops._

"Now the fun starts," Axel whispered into her ear, pulling a handful of stuff out of his pocket. He selected a razor and crept over to Xaldin. "Take this, Wolf-man," he muttered, and proceeded to shave the Lancer's face.

"What are you doing?" Bruixe demanded softly, and he grinned.

"Amusing myself," he said, handing her a red Sharpie. "_Bon appetite._"

* * *

The next morning when Xaldin woke up, he didn't understand why everyone was laughing at him. Finally someone had the guts to hand him a mirror.

"AXEL!" he roared.

Axel held up his hands, the picture of innocence.

Meanwhile Vexen was waking up. "Hey, what's this razor doing here?" he slurred.

Xaldin turned on the Academic, growling, and the rest of the Organization quickly evacuated.

Saix, too, was having difficulty. Bruixe had honed her artistic talent on his face. A very convincing bulls-eye surrounded his X-shaped scar; his forehead bore the legend 'X marks the spot.'

"Hey, why didn't we prank Lexaeus?" Bruixe wondered. "He was passed out too."

Axel looked at her strangely. "Do you want to die?"

"True," Bruixe admitted, grinning. "So… last day before you ship out, right? What should we do?"

He matched her grin with a more dangerous-looking one. "Meet in the Hall of Empty Melodies in one hour. And… bring your weapons."

Suddenly Bruixe was very, very, worried, but she went to get her stuff anyway.


	8. May I Have This Dance

This will be the last update for a while, because I'll be at camp for a week with no computers. Sorry. I'll probably hand-write though, so you can look forward to multiple updates when I get back… oh boy!

Bruixe doesn't get to fight much… let's see how strong she really is, eh? Grr… I hate writing fight scenes… but I kinda needed it here. Enjoy.

* * *

"What's this about?" Bruixe asked as she entered the hall. Axel, Roxas, and Demyx were already there, waiting for her. Her head was feeling sort of stuffy after last night's party, and she imagined the guys were feeling the same.

"Tradition," Axel told her. "Not much to do around this place, you know that."

"Dibs on first," Demyx called.

"Fine," Axel told him. Demyx lifted a hand above his head, and water rose from the ground, forming a blue sitar in his hand, which he spun into place. Smirking, he pointed at Bruixe.

"Can you keep to the beat?" he asked smugly.

Now Bruixe understood. She crossed her arms in front of her chest, summoning her short swords, and stepped back into an easy fighting stance. "May I have this dance?"

She launched herself at him, blades singing through the air, but he danced away, fingering patterns on his sitar. Globes of water surrounded her, and she ignored them – a mistake. When they hit her, they had none of the softness of normal water; they were heavy and painful. "Shit," she cursed, and Demyx said something she couldn't hear.

It was frustrating. He was almost as fast as she was, just fast enough to keep out of reach, and attacked from a distance with magic. _Fine,_ she thought. _If that's how it is…_

Bruixe flung her hand out and threw one kodachi; it flew past Demyx's head, missing him by inches. As he turned to look – _idiot, _Bruixe thought – she ran at him, the distraction provide the extra second she needed to actually make contact. She batted his arm away from the neck of the sitar, battering him with fists and feet.

"Water!" Demyx yelled, but Bruixe refused to break her hold – finally she got around behind him and seized one arm, pulling it behind his back. Her left hand brought her second sword up to his neck.

"She got you, Waterboy," Axel called, and Roxas cheered.

"I could have danced all night," she murmured.

"Yeah, yeah," grumbled Demyx, and she let him go. Axel stepped up to take his place.

"My turn," he said cockily as Bruixe retrieved her thrown kodachi. When she faced him again, he was clutching red-and-white wheel-like weapons in his hand.

"Chakrams," he said in response to her raised eyebrow. "Like _Xena: Warrior Princess_."

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Bruixe told him.

He feigned shock. "You don't know Xena?"

Bruixe ignored this, sizing him up. The weapons were large, but evidently designed for throwing, judging by the way he spun them around. But she was willing to bet they weren't very good for fights in close; if she could break past his guard and get within arms' reach, she just might have him.

No sooner had she thought this than one chakram was flying towards her head, and she ducked hastily out of the way. She hadn't been expecting the second blow, though; it flew back towards Axel, clipping her on the shoulder.

_Great,_ she thought. _They come back._

She gritted her teeth as Axel threw them at her with ever increasing speed; she was forced to duck and roll away, always keeping on the defensive. Axel kept low to the floor, circling away, using the range of the weapons to keep her away.

Bruixe had had enough. She stood up and ran flat out at him, batting away one chakram but missing the other, which grazed past her side. Axel tried to move away, but he wasn't as fast as Demyx had been, and she was already on him. The force of her tackle knocked him to the ground; behind her she heard the chakrams clatter to the floor with no one to catch them.

"Knew you couldn't get enough of me, babe," Axel joked.

It was a mistake.

Bruixe pummeled him, fists and feet and elbows and knees, infuriated. He tried to shove her off but she was fueled by anger. "Enough, enough, I take it back!" he yelled eventually. "You win!"

She backed off of him grudgingly, allowing him to stand, rubbing his arms. "Geez," he complained.

"You asked for it," she spat.

"Yeah, you kinda did," Roxas agreed. "Up for one more?" he asked her.

She shrugged, brushing floor dust off her sleeves. "If you promise I'll get to beat up Axel later," she muttered.

Roxas laughed. "Promise," he said. He held out his hands and summoned Keyblades.

"What?" she gasped.

"They're called Keyblades," Roxas told her.

"I know that," she replied. "How… how did you…"

Roxas frowned. "Actually, I don't really know. Are you gonna fight me or not?"

Bruixe blinked, but settled into a fighting position.

"Kick her ass, dude," Axel called out.

Demyx whistled. "Come on, Bruixe!"

Roxas fought at close range, unlike Axel and Demyx, and proved it by charging Bruixe, Keyblades flying. She mangaed to block his strikes, arms jarring with the impact. _He's strong!_ Bruixe realized. _You wouldn't think it from his size…_

She tried to duck away, but Roxas was ready for it, knocking her to the ground with a well-placed slash to her abdomen. Determined not to lose lying down, she rolled to her feet, using the momentum to knock one of his Keyblades out of his hand. Roxas used the other to knock her away again, battering her legs and sides. She couldn't block them all; finally she slipped, falling to her knees, and Roxas leveled the Keyblade at her throat.

"Damn," she cursed, and Axel whooped.

"It was a good fight," Roxas told her, helping her to her feet.

"Yeah, except I lost," she replied.

"I'd already watched you fight twice," he pointed out. "I pretty much knew you're style. Besides, no one's better than me."

She faked a punch at his head, which he dodged, laughing.

"Loser buys the ice cream," Axel told her.

She shoved him. "Guess that means you're paying up."

He shrugged. "Guess you're right."


	9. James Bond or something

Hi everyone. I know, I know, before you say ANYTHING…

I'M SORRRRRYYYY!

It's been like, what, a month? Since I updated, I mean. Oops. I got kinda caught up in this other Riku fic I'm writing. It's called Path of Darkness for those of you interested. Go read it. Anyway, Bruixe kind of got shoved to the back of my brain. And then today she was like, "LET ME OUT!" So here we go. My bad.

(Yes, I know Bruixe is a figment of my imagination. There are voices in my head. So what?)

Anyway, be grateful for this chapter because my fingers are bleeding from typing. (You think I'm kidding? I type kinda funky and my nails are long, so they dig into the tips of my fingers sometimes. Two fingers on my left hand are bleeding.) Anyway, you guys are supposed to get on my case when I don't update in a long time. Get with the program, people.

That said, enjoy.

* * *

"Bruixe, wanna play a gaaaaaammmme?"

Demyx was singing. Oh, God. "No," she said firmly.

"Ohhhhhhh!" he belted, still singing. "But games are ohhhh sooo fuuuun!"

Bruixe glared at him with a gaze that could vaporize steel. He quailed for a second, but was not to be denied.

"Come and play, OH! Come and play, oh, oh, ohhhhhh! Extreeeeeeme ROCK! PAPER! SCISSORS!"

"…No."

"Shoop-bop. whoop whoop, shooop-bop, come and play, oh, oh, ohhhh!"

"If I play will you freaking shut the hell up?" she yelled in exasperation.

"YEAAAAAHHHH!" he sang in an emo-screamo voice.

There was a loud explosion from behind them, and Bruixe turned to see Roxas mothodically taking out Heartless. "Hate to pull the curtain on Demyx's life musical," he said calmly, "but we are on a mission."

Saved. Bruixe leapt past him to finish an Air Soldier. "My hero," she muttered as she flew past the blonde. "I think I love you."

"Geez, you get around!" Demyx commented as he summoned his sitar. "Axel, me, Roxas..."

There was a _twang_ as every string on the instrument broke, seeing as which Bruixe had smashed it into Demyx's face.

"Asshole," she told him.

* * *

Life was quiet in the castle with half of the Organization missing, which was probably why Demyx had tried to turn his life into a musical. Bruixe spent half her time beating the crap out of him these days.

The halls were so empty that Bruixe found herself tiptoeing, because footsteps echoed for ages. She found she could make herself almost completely silent if she wanted to, a talent that Demyx and Roxas found extremely useful.

"You could be like, James Bond or something!" Demyx told her one day as they hung out in his room after a long spell in Twilight Town.. "Da-da-daaaa-da daaa…" He rolled around the room, fingers pointed into a gun shape. "Hey! I bet you could even spy on Xigbar."

"No way," Roxas told him. "That guy has like 20-20 hearing."

Bruixe dropped her face into her hands. "Tell me you did not just say that. Oh. My. God."

"Yeah she could," Demyx argued. "Bruixe is the BEST."

"Uh-uh," Roxas maintained. "No one spies on the Freeshooter. He's the one that does the spying."

"A hundred munny says she can do it," Demyx said confidently.

"You're on," the younger boy replied.

They both looked at Bruixe expectantly.

"Don't make me laugh," she told them, shaking her head. "There's no way I'm getting my ass in trouble for a stupid bet. Go to Luxord if you want to gamble."

"I bet she's scared," Demyx mock-whispered.

"I think you're right," Roxas agreed.

Bruixe knew she was being manipulated, but now that it was a challenge there was no way she was backing down. "I better be getting a cut of this munny," she muttered.

"Rules!" Roxas clarified. "You have to follow Xigbar until he talks to somebody."

"Yeah, and you have to hear the whole conversation," Demyx added. "So you can prove you did it."

"Fine," she huffed. "Where is he?"

* * *

Following the Freeshooter was the easy part, Bruixe discovered. Getting close enough to hear without being heard, now that was the challenge.

She got lucky; when she found Xigbar he was already talking to someone. A closer look revealed it to be Xaldin.

"…pointless to divide our forces," the Lancer was saying.

"Nah," Xigbar disagreed. "Divide and conquer."

"The saying is, 'unite and conquer,' fool," Xaldin told him.

"No it's not," the older man argued. "Divide and conquer. Alexander the Great."

"Who?"

"That's not the pont," Xigbar said, shaking his head. "The point of the Oblivion headquarters was to find the Room of Awakening."

_What?_ Bruixe wondered.

"Meaningless," Xaldin scoffed. "It doesn't exist."

"Xemnas seems to think it does," Xigbar shrugged. "And this is the guy that found the first one. Who's to say there isn't a second?"

"He didn't discover the Room of Sleep, he built it," argued Xaldin.

"Are you sure?" asked Xigbar cockily. "You were there, _Dilan_."

Xaldin stiffened visibly. _Must be his other's name,_ thought Bruixe.

"Yeah, you know what I'm talking about," Xigbar went on. "That room in the basement was there long before we took over. We weren't allowed in. So of course it was the first place Xemnas went when he was in control."

"But what's down there?" the Lancer mused.

"Who knows? Gotta be something, otherwise Xemnas wouldn't bother. And I'm guessing the Room of Awakening is important."

"I suppose," Xaldin agreed reluctantly. Then, "So he thinks it's in Castle Oblivion?"

Xigbar shrugged. "Maybe, maybe not, but it's at least somewhere to start looking."

Bruixe had heard enough. She hurried back to Demyx's room and told the boys what she had heard.

"What's he talking about?" Bruixe wanted to know once Roxas had reluctantly handed over Demyx's munny. "They took something over?"

"You don't know?" Demyx asked incredulously. "It's not exactly a secret. What all did Axel tell you when you moved in?"

"The top six founded the Organization," Bruixe shrugged. "That's about it."

"Well, they were apprenticed to this guy named Ansem," Demyx told her. "All six of them. I guess this Ansem guy was a genius scientist, studying worlds and hearts and all that good stuff. But he had some serious morals. Xemnas – well, he was called Xehanort back then, I guess – was his foremost apprentice, right? Almost as smart as Ansem himself. If you ask Xemnas, he was the smarter one all along. But anyway, Xehanort wants to study some door they found in the heart of their world. There's darkness flowing out of this door. But Ansem forbids him from studying it, says it's too dangerous, not to mess with it."

"But he does anyway," Bruixe guessed.

"Bingo," Demyx confirmed. "Xehanort and his apprentice buddies decide they've had enough of Ansem ordering them around. They betray Ansem and take over his lab. Xehanort pretends to be Ansem, so he can continue on with the experiments. Eventually all six of them lose their hearts, don't ask me how."

"And form the Organization," Bruixe finished. "So Xemnas is a no-good dirty rotten traitor."

"Basically," Demyx agreed.

"Bastard," she muttered. When she first met the Superior, Bruixe had thought he looked like her father. One reason not to like him. Now she had another.

"So the 'Room of Sleep' they were talking about is in Ansem's old lab?" Roxas wondered.

"Who knows?' Demyx asked. "It's not like Xemnas is telling anyone."

"Wonder if Axel and them will find the Room of Awakening like Xemnas wanted," Bruixe mused. "The way Xigbar was talking, he didn't seem to think they would."

"I don't think it's any of our business," Roxas said warily.

"If you say so," Bruixe said, not convinced. There were altogether too many secrets around this place, she decided.


	10. Somebody Better Be Dead

Yeah, I'm trying to make up for lost time. Here we go. I don't own these characters, except Bruixe, blah blah blah, enjoy.

* * *

"Bruixe. Bruixe, wake up."

A hand on her shoulder shook her out of sleep. She glanced at the clock. 3:47 AM. Roxas stood over her, looking slightly guilty about being in her room.

"Somebody better be dead," she muttered. "'Cause otherwise someone will be. It's three in the goddamn morning."

"Xemnas called a meeting," Roxas said tersely. "Come on, let's go."

The meeting room was a huge, cylindrical room with thirteen chairs circled around, all at different heights, but each tall enough that it required opening a portal to get to your chair. Bruixe had been given Zexion's chair when the Castle Oblivion group shipped out. She slouched tiredly over one arm, resting her face in her hand.

Far below, a lone cloaked figure stood in the center of the circle, bright red hair standing out like a beacon against the white room.

"Axel?" Bruixe gasped.

"Shhh," someone hushed her.

"Report," Xemnas said thunderously.

"I've just come from Castle Oblivion," Axel said, craning his neck to look at the Superior. "I… well, I'm the only one left."

A low murmur went up around the room.

"Explain," Xemnas demanded.

"As you know, I was assigned to the top levels with Marluxia and Larxene," Axel began, and Bruixe was surprised to hear no sarcasm whatsoever in his voice. Her guess would be that the hothead thought he was in trouble, and didn't want to make it worse. "We had control of the witch Namine, and were instructed to use her to lure the Keybearer to us. So that the Organization could use him."

Across the room, Roxas shifted uncomfortably. _He does that whenever that Keybearer guy is mentioned,_ Bruixe observed, making a mental note to ask about it later.

"When the Keybearer arrived at the castle, I overheard Marluxia and Larxene talking," Axel went on. "They were planning to use him for their own purposes. To uproot the rest of the Organization."

More whispers. Bruixe remembered Axel saying something about how Marluxia had been power-hungry.

"I made the decision to gain their trust and act as a double-agent," Axel continued. "Meanwhile Vexen, Lexaeus, and Zexion were set upon by the dark hero – the Keybearer's friend, if I remember correctly. He had appeared in the basement. Vexen had obtained data on the boy, and used it to create a replica to be used against Sora – the Keybearer.

"Marluxia believed that Vexen knew about his plot to overthrow the Organization. When Vexen's replica failed – as we'd known it would – Marluxia ordered me to 'rid us of our traitor'. Since he was in charge of the castle, I believed I couldn't refuse. Sora fought Vexen, and Vexen was going to tell him about our plan. I acted quickly. I destroyed Vexen."

"What?" Xaldin shouted angrily. Several others murmured agreement. Bruixe just raised an eyebrow. She'd never liked the so-called 'scientist'. Xemnas raised a hand for quiet, motioning Axel to continue.

"Marluxia made the mistake of trusting me with the witch-girl. I knew there was no way I could capture Sora alone and use him for the Organization. The original plan was lost. I believed that letting him go was better than letting him be used against us. I freed Namine with the intention that she would keep Sora away from Marluxia. I was right. Sora destroyed Larxene because of Namine's guidance.

"By then Marluxia discovered what I'd done. I apprehended Marluxia on floor thirteen of Castle Oblivion, reminded him that he'd ordered me to dispose of the traitors. Technically, that was him. But he had recaptured the witch. He tried to use her as a shield. I had every intention of destroying her with him, but then Sora arrived. I was forced to fight him. I lost… but managed to escape to the basement floors. After I left, Sora annihilated Marluxia.

"Only Zexion was left. He was faced with the problem of Riku. He asked me for the data on the boys' home, which I gave him. He tried to play some sort of mind game to destroy Riku… but he failed. Riku killed him."

From the shifty look in Axel's eyes, Bruixe had a feeling that wasn't the whole story. Another thing to ask about later.

"With the castle full of enemies, there was no way I could retake it alone," Axel finished. "So I came back."

Xemnas frowned; another round of whispers went up. For a long time, nobody said anything. Finally, Xemnas broke the silence. "Xigbar. Xaldin. Saix. Stay. The rest of you, dismissed."

Axel caught Bruixe's eyes and raised an eyebrow. _We need to talk,_ said the look on his face.

She nodded at Demyx, indicating that they'd meet in his room.

* * *

"So what's the real story?" Bruixe demanded once the four friends were gathered. "And spare us the suckup official bits, okay?"

Axel grinned. "Good to see you too, babe."

She ignored this.

"Don't lie, hotcakes," Demyx said. "Traitors or not, you pretty much had a hand in all of them dying. Are you smoking crack or something?"

"Technically, the only one I killed directly was Vexen," Axel corrected. "But man, you should have seen him squirm. He was literally begging. Let's see… Larxene, yeah, I guess that was my bad… and I had every intention of killing Marluxia myself, but that Sora guy got in the way."

Again Roxas squirmed.

"Okay, spill," Bruixe said. "Roxas, what's your problem with the Keybearer?"

"He's my other," Roxas said quietly. "According to Xemnas."

"How does that work?" she asked, confused.

Group shrug.

"Still haven't figured it out," Roxas admitted.

"Don't change the subject," Demyx chided. "Okay, Larxene and the Flower King, well, you can get away with killing them 'cause they're traitors. Even Vexen, well, you had to gain their trust. I get that. But admit it. You had something to do with the other two dying, didn't you?"

"Not Lexaeus," Axel said defensively.

"Zexie?" Bruixe prodded.

"Well, he did fight Riku," Axel told her. "That much was true. But Riku didn't kill him. Actually, I guess he did… sort of… but the wrong Riku…"

"Start making sense," she demanded.

"There were two Rikus, remember?" he reminded her. "The real one, and the fake one Vexen made. I got a hold of the fake after they all bit the dust. He was obsessed with becoming real. After the real Riku beat the crap out of Zexie… well, I kind of goaded the fake one into finishing him off."

"You stood by and watched him get toasted," Roxas clarified.

"Well, yeah," Axel grinned. "You know me, I like a good show. You should've seen the Schemer's face. I'm all like, 'Saving you doesn't seem half as entertaining as observing Sora and Riku,' and then Faku takes him out –"

"Faku?" Roxas wondered.

"Fake-Riku," Demyx told him knowingly.

"Anyway, it was hilarious," Axel said.

Bruixe shuddered. "Remind me to stay on your good side."

"You ask me, I'd rather be on his bad side," Demyx disagreed. "Especially if killing people puts him in a good mood."

"Hear, hear," Roxas chorused.

Bruixe sighed. "Can I go back to bed now?"

Roxas chuckled.

"What?" she demanded.

"When I woke you up, you said, 'somebody better be dead'."

The four dissolved into helpless laughter.


	11. Traitor

'Nother chapter y'all. Hahaha. There's kind of a time lapse between the last chapter and this one, because I didn't feel like writing seven months' worth of filler. You should be thanking me. No one likes filler.

Anyway, what's with the complete and total lack of reviews? Come on, people, get with the program. Sheesh.

(Insert disclaimer here.) Lol. Enjoy.

* * *

It was nearly two in the morning, but Bruixe couldn't sleep.

She'd gotten used to the emptiness of the room without Larxene, but the castle as a whole still felt empty. Out of fourteen, only nine remained.

"One, two, three, seven, eight, nine, ten, thirteen, fourteen," she whispered to herself. "You'd think we'd get new numbers."

She closed her eyes in the hopes of sleep, but gave up in a minute or two. It was no use. She shoved herself out of bed. "Might as well do something," she muttered.

She threw on a cloak and left the castle. Something about it just didn't feel right.

It was raining in the Dark City, pattering gently off the cobblestones. Around her shadows swarmed, and she called forth two of her Rogue Nobodies to flank her, keeping the Heartless away.

Bruixe walked for a few minutes, accompanied only by the strange step-step-_click_ step-step-_click_ of her Rogues, before she heard voices.

"Your mind's made up?"

Axel.

_What is he doing out here at this time of night?_

She dismissed her Rogues, creeping forward silently to peek her head around the corner of the alley she was in. Axel leaned against a building wall, watching Roxas pace in front of him. _Roxas, too? What's going on?_

"Why did the Keyblade choose me?" Roxas wondered aloud. "I have to know."

"You can't turn on the Organization!" Axel yelled angrily. "You get on their bad side and they'll destroy you!"

Roxas looked at the ground. "No one would miss me."

"That's not true," Axel said quietly. "I would."

Bruixe stepped around the corner. "Me too," she said simply, crossing over to the younger boy.

He looked at her sadly. "What are you doing up?"

"Couldn't sleep," she shrugged. "Now I know why. Roxas… you're leaving us?"

He nodded. "I can't stay. Organization XIII… I have a feeling we're headed the wrong way. I don't want to stick around for this."

"Xemnas will never let you get away," Axel argued.

"What the big guy doesn't know won't hurt him," Bruixe told him. "He won't even know Roxas is gone until the weekly meeting. He's got a three-day head start."

Roxas blinked. "You're letting me go?"

"No!" Axel said firmly. "Bruixe – the four of us are supposed to be in Twilight Town in seven hours. What if someone realizes there are only three of us?"

"It's none of our business if Roxas stays or goes," she maintained.

"Until we get in trouble for letting him go," he reminded her.

Bruixe gave him a long look, silver eyes ice-cold. "Never figured you for such a coward, hotcakes," she said coolly.

Little sparks ignited in the air around Axel's head.

"Enough," Roxas sighed. "Axel. I'm leaving now. You can fight me if you want, but conscious or not, you will let me out of this city."

Axel opened his mouth as if to argue, but thought better of it. Green eyes looked at the ground. "Whatever," he said sadly. "Roxas… be careful."

"Same goes for you two," the blonde told them. "If Xemnas catches you…"

"Like I said, he doesn't have to know we were here," Bruixe scoffed. "Take care, kiddo. We'll cover you."

"Thanks," he said sincerely, then turned and ran.

Bruixe and Axel watched him go, not saying a word. Finally Bruixe started back for the castle.

"Wait up," Axel told her, falling into step beside her. "Big words, kiddo, but you know Xemnas will be onto him by tomorrow night."

"Maybe," Bruixe admitted. "But at least he's got a head start. A day is a long time. He could go anywhere. Xemnas doesn't have the time to waste looking for him."

"That's what you think," Axel muttered.

"You think I'm wrong?"

"You don't know Xemnas like I do," he said darkly. "If he can't capture Roxas, he'll have him killed. And he'll send someone from the Organization to do it. Maybe even one of us."

Bruixe shrugged. "Like I'd kill Roxas. And you wouldn't, either."

Again Axel shook his head. "You don't know," he repeated. "Well, don't say I didn't warn you."

She was about to make a snide remark, but the worry on his face was no joke. Bruixe shrugged. "Well, someone ought to warn Waterboy," she told him. "Someone like you. I'm going back to bed."

"We should get our stories straight," Axel suggested. "What if someone asks us?"

Bruixe shrugged. "We were never here. Roxas had never been entirely loyal to the Organization. It won't be a surprise he's left."

"But would he leave without telling us?"

"By the looks of it, he meant to leave without telling us," she pointed out. "I know he didn't mean to tell me. And did he tell you, or did you catch him?"

"I followed him," the redhead admitted.

"See? Of course it'll be believable."

Axel looked at the ground.

"What's wrong?" Bruixe wanted to know.

"It's just… life without Roxas again," Axel said sadly. "When he showed up, I was… well, not glad, I guess, but… I wasn't alone anymore. Now –"

"Well, you've got me," Bruixe told him.

He nodded. "Yeah."

"One more thing," Bruixe said. "If Xemnas finds out Roxas is gone – has been gone – he'll want to know why we didn't tell him. Why we didn't report. We'll be guilty by association."

Axel frowned. "Didn't think of that."

"Well, I am the brains of this operation," she said snidely.

"Ha ha."

"It's got to be us," Bruixe realized. "We have to turn him in."

"Are you nuts?" Axel yelled.

"No," she replied. "I didn't mean this instant, idiot. I mean in the morning. We'll play it like Roxas just never showed up to meet in Demyx's room. We wait awhile, thinking he just overslept, right? Then we send someone to check his room. Like you. You realize he's not here, we report it, Xemnas gets pissed, but Roxas gets a good, I don't know, eight, nine hours head start? It's the best we can do."

Axel thought about it a moment before he nodded. "You're right," he admitted reluctantly. "We can buy him time, but not much. I'll go tell Demyx –"

"No, don't," she decided. "Let him find out when Roxas 'doesn't show' tomorrow. That way it's more believable." She had learned her lesson in the Eternal Kingdom – the fewer people that knew a secret, the better the secret was kept. "Watch him squirm for a while. It could be entertaining."

Axel grinned. "That's my girl. Go get some sleep. I'll see you in the morning."

"Yes, sir," she said, giving a mock salute, and trotted off to her room.


	12. Liar, Liar

Hey guys, sorry it's been awhile. School started, you know. Less time for everything. But anyway, here's the next chapter. Know what's weird? My friend Lauren knows more about this story than I do. AND I'M WRITING IT. Seriously. Thanks, Lauren. Lol.

Oh, and thanks to Blastbone and RockOnRose, who actually reviewed when I asked everyone to. The rest of you, get with the program. **SLACKERS.**

I don't own any of these characters, much to my disappointment. Enjoy.

* * *

Axel beat Bruixe to Demyx's room the next morning. She trudged in still half-asleep, collapsing on Demyx's couch without a word.

"Where's Roxas?" the Nocturne wondered.

"Who knows?" Axel replied smoothly. "Probably overslept."

_He didn't even blink,_ Bruixe noticed. Then again, he had convinced five people that he wouldn't betray them. Five people who were now dead. They might actually pull this off. Bruixe closed her eyes and laid her head against the armrest, laying sideways. Axel took the seat at the other end of the couch, absently drumming long fingers against the toe of her boot.

"You're awfully quiet this morning, Miss Bruixe," Demyx observed. Bruixe cracked open an eye to glare at him. The Waterboy was smirking. "Long night?" he asked, wiggling his eyebrows.

Instead of answering, Bruixe seized the nearest object and flung it at Demyx's head. Only after it had left her hand that it was probably dangerous to be throwing around things that heavy. It struck him full force across the face; a trickle of blood dripped from his nose.

"Bruixe!" he sputtered. "That was a Stratocaster! It's worth more than my life!"

Not exactly the 'you-could-have-killed-me' that she was expecting.

Axel eyed the guitar. "How'd you even work up the strength to throw that?"

"Hell, fury, woman scorned," Bruixe mumbled. "Besides, Demyx doesn't play guitar. He plays sitar."

Demyx muttered something about the munny he'd spent on 'that gem of musicality.' "Would it be too much to ask to go just one day without a near-death experience?"

"You could try keeping your mouth shut," Bruixe suggested.

"Where's Roxas, anyway?" Demyx wondered again, bending to check his beloved guitar.

"Give him a bit to wake up," Axel told him. "He's a growing boy. Needs his beauty sleep."

They lounged around for another hour, Bruixe keeping pretty quiet. It was easier to say nothing than to risk someone seeing through a lie, despite constant 'just-act-natural-you-idiot' looks from Axel.

"Axel, go check on Roxas," Demyx ordered finally.

The pyromaniac raised his eyebrows. "I don't take orders from you, number 9," he reminded the Nocturne.

"Fine," Demyx sighed. "Bruixe. Go."

"Not a chance," she shot back. "What if he's naked or something? Like some people I know."

Demyx ignored this. "I see how it is," he muttered, flouncing huffily out of the room.

"Could you be more obvious?" Axel demanded once Demyx was gone. "You may as well put up a big neon sign saying 'I'm hiding something.'"

"We can't all be backstabbing traitorous double-agents," Bruixe replied nastily. "I'm good at some things. Spying, yes. Eavesdropping, sure. Beating people up, hell yeah. Lying? Not so much."

"What, like you've never lied?" he said sarcastically.

"Not often,' she told him. "Where I come from people don't like me, truthful or not. Being honest is just easier. No fake stories to keep straight."

"Great," Axel muttered. "We're keeping a secret we could be executed for, and one of us has no poker face."

Demyx burst back into the room. "Roxas is gone!" he shouted.

Axel's mouth fell open, the classic picture of surprise. Bruixe mirrored his expression as best as she could. _Learn from the best,_ she thought grimly.

* * *

"WHAT?" Xemnas exploded.

The three of them quailed beneath his furious glare. This, at least, Bruixe didn't have to fake.

Demyx quickly related his story – he'd gone to wake up Roxas, and there was no Roxas to wake up.

"SAIX!" the Superior boomed when Demyx had finished.

Bruixe remembered what Axel had told her – Saix was Xemnas's thug. The one who took care of 'dirty laundry', to put it bluntly.

"Yes?" the Diviner replied smoothly, appearing at Xemnas's side.

"Double the patrols in the Dark City," Xemnas orderd. "Check the movement of the Samurai-type Nobodies. Send out every member we have. I want him found."

"Of course," Saix agreed. "And if we do find him? Shall we kill him?"

Bruixe shuddered involuntarily. Axel stepped on her foot.

"Just find him,' Xemnas commanded. "And inform me immediately. Don't let on that we know where he is."

Saix nodded and vanished. Xemnas glared at the remaining three. "What are you waiting for?" he demanded. "You heard me. Find him."

* * *

Bruixe and Demyx ended up stationed together in Twilight Town, though she fervently hoped Roxas would have enough sense not to show his face here.

"Bruixe?" Demyx asked as they searched a back alley.

"Yeah?" she replied absently.

"Why don't you trust me?"

She stopped dead in her tracks, turning to look at him. His expression was heartbreaking – or would have been, if she'd had a heart. "I do trust you, Waterboy," she said uncomfortably.

"Then why didn't you tell me Roxas was gone?" he asked, hurt.

Bruixe squirmed. "You knew?"

He nodded glumly. "It was all over your face this morning. I didn't know what was wrong, but then…"

She sagged against a wall, running a hand through her thick black hair. "Sorry," she said quietly.

"Why wouldn't he tell me?" Demyx wanted to know. "Why you?"

"I don't think he meant to tell me," Bruixe said honestly. "Or even Axel. I think he meant to leave in secret. Not because he didn't trust us. Because he was trying to protect us. I was only there because… well, because I couldn't sleep," she admitted.

Demyx nodded reluctantly. "I still wish you would've told me."

"I'm sorry," she whispered again, and she meant it.

"What'll we do? If we find him, I mean," he wondered.

"We're gonna let him go," she said firmly. "Pretend like we never saw him."

"Can't believe this," Demyx muttered. "You think he's okay?"

"I hope so," Bruixe told him. "I hope so."


	13. Lost and Found

Hey everyone! Here's another chapter, just for you, my favorite fans. Lol. We're making progress! And we're almost to my favorite part. What's my favorite part? What do you think, Larxene?

Larxene: I dunno… I just HATE spoilers…  
Me: Lol. Me too.  
Larxene: …  
Me: Fine. Axel, you tell them.  
Axel: Whatever. Yeah, Jo here doesn't own any of us cool people. Except Bruixe. Who is HOTT.  
Bruixe: I'm going to KICK YOUR ASS.  
Axel: Lol. Got it memorized?  
Me: Oh, by the way, part of this chapter is in script format. Deal with it.  
Kairi: Lazy bum.  
Me: Hey, you're not in this story. Go away.  
Kairi: (cries)

Anyway, enjoy.

* * *

Chance was a funny thing, Bruixe decided.

She'd never considered herself lucky, never understood how people like Luxord could risk anything, leave anything to chance. Bruixe didn't even like gambling on a coin flip, let alone gambling on a one-in-a-million probability.

But as the saying went, even beggers can get lucky once.

She patrolled the streets of the Dark City alone, tracing familiar alleys, skirting Heartless easily. The odds that Roxas would come here were impossible. He'd never be that stupid – or that desperate.

So when she reached the huge, dark tower, walked into the rainy plaza, she had to pinch herself.

Because there was someone there.

Someone surrounded by Neoshadow Heartless, encircled on all sides. Someone hooded and cloaked in Organization black. Someone clutching two very familiar-looking Keyblades.

"Roxas!" she shouted in disbelief.

"Bruixe, get out of here!" her friend yelled back, an edge of panic in his voice, and then the Heartless were upon him. Blade in hand, Bruixe leapt forward to help, but was thrown back by an invisible wall of force, blocking the plaza from her view.

"No!" she screamed uselessly, slamming against the barrier to no avail. She could hear muted voices, one Roxas's, the other unfamiliar. Was the barrier the stranger's work, keeping her from interfering? Or was it Roxas trying to protect her?

Excrutiating minutes passed, feeling like hours. Bruixe ran her hands desperately along the wall, searching for a crack, a break, any weakness she could use to break through.

Then the world exploded, the wall shattering like glass, a tremor shaking the ground. She fell to her knees, hands clapped over her ears, and looked up in time to see Roxas crushed in the grip of a shadowy monster, a tall figure watching impassively – and then they were gone.

After the initial shock of oh-my-god-what-just-happened wore off, she began to piece things together.

Roxas had run from the Organization and ended up in trouble with someone else. Someone outside the Organization. Someone who had fought him. Defeated him. Impossible. How could Roxas have lost?

A stray thought crossed her mind. If Roxas was captured, he was being held against his will. A far cry from desertion. Whoever this mysterious stranger was, he'd given Bruixe the excuse she needed to keep Roxas alive.

She sprinted back to the castle with all the speed she possessed.

* * *

Bruixe stopped for breath in front of the meeting room door, panting heavily. She braced her hands on her knees. Voices drifted from the room, and Bruixe's eavesdropping instinct kicked in.

Saix: …unlikely that he would have left without warning.  
Xigbar: Saix is right. The little guy would've told someone. Axel at least. They're best friends.  
Saix: When I tracked the Samurai-type Nobodies, I also checked on Rogues, Dancers and Assassins. Just to make sure.

Bruixe shivered. He'd named Demyx and Axel's Nobodies as well as her own.

Saix: A pair of Assassins left the castle at 1:49 last night. Five minutes later two Rogues followed. Which means… Axel and Bruixe went to the Dark City and brought guards against the Heartless.  
Xigbar: …Someone's been naughty.  
Saix: Indeed.  
Xigbar: They wouldn't have brought guards if they had something to hide.  
Saix: Perhaps they didn't know they had something to hide. Yet.

_Last time __I__ use guards against Heartless,_ Bruixe thought grimly.

Xemnas: You think they left the castle without knowing Roxas had gone? They left for some other reason?  
Xigbar: Why would they do that?  
Saix: Who knows.  
Xigbar: We don't know when Roxas left. They might not have seen him.  
Saix: It's too much of a coincidence. Two members out of the castle at a peculiar hour on the same night another disappears? How could they have not seen him? And if they did see him, and let him go…  
Xigbar: …They're traitors, too.  
Saix: They might even know where he is. They could be hiding him.  
Xemnas: No. Roxas is clever enough that he wouldn't tell them. As a precaution.  
Xigbar: Traitors in the Organization. Unbelievable.  
Saix: Shall I question them?  
Xemnas: …Not yet. Let us watch and wait a while longer.

_It's now or never,_ Bruixe thought, and burst into the room, trying to look like she'd just sprinted down the hall. Which she had… ten minutes ago.

"I saw Roxas," she panted.

Saix and Xigbar exchanged glances; Xemnas didn't even blink. "Where? When?" he asked.

"Just now, in the Dark City. I was on patrol – I saw him – I think he was fighting someone. He… he made a wall, to keep me out. But he lost. Roxas lost," she whispered, hardly believed her own words. "And the guy who fought him took him away."

Xemnas thought for a moment, then nodded shortly. "Send me… Axel," he commanded after a brief pause. "It seems we must reevaluate the situation."

* * *

Bruixe found her friends easily and quickly caught them up to speed before Axel had to go report, including the conversation she'd overheard.

"They know," Axel breathed.

"I know," Bruixe told him.

"But they don't want us to know they know," he went on.

"I know," she said again.

Demyx raised his hand as if asking a question.

"Yes, Demyx?" Bruixe asked impatiently.

"Can there be less knowing?" he begged. "I'm confused."

Axel and Bruixe exchanged grins. "We know," they chorused.


	14. Trapped

Hey guys. One more chapter, as promised.

Someone asked if I was going to do a third installment, like a sequel to The Last Nobody. Truth is, I've been thinking about it, but I'm not sure. I reeaally like Bruixe as a character and I don't want to stop writing about her. But on the other hand, I haven't thought of a decent plot for a sequel. I'll keep thinking about it. I'm toying with the idea of doing something on Terra-Aqua-Ven, but I don't know yet. If anyone has a suggestion for plot, let me know.

And guess what happened this morning? TLN now has over 6,500 hits. You guys are amazing.

Ugh. It's like, 1,000 degrees in the computer room where I'm writing right now. I think I'm gonna die. Anyway, enjoy.

* * *

It wasn't until an hour later that Axel returned from his meeting with Xemnas. Bruixe had been lounging on Demyx's couch again; when the redhead came in, she bolted upright.

"Well?" she demanded.

Axel shrugged moodily, sinking into an armchair across the room. "They're sending out the Dusks to track down Roxas. Once they find him… they want me to be in charge of bringing him back. Either I persuade him to come back, or… I destroy him."

"You can't," Demyx objected.

"Don't you think I know that?" Axel yelled in frustration.

"So just… don't," Bruixe said. "We owe him that, Axel. He tried to leave without telling us. He tried to keep us out of trouble. Even when I saw him getting captured, he tried to protect me. He risked his life for it. You can't bring him back now! The Organization'll kill him!"

"What do you want me to do? Just let him go?" Axel argued. "I'm going to be watched the whole time. If I screw up, if I let him off, they'll kill me too, and send someone else after him."

"That can't be all," Bruixe whispered. "There's got to be another way."

Demyx shook his head. "I hate to say it, Bruixe… but Axel's right. Roxas knew the risks when he left. He must have been expecting this."

"What if the Dusks don't find him?" Bruixe pressed, grasping at straws.

"They will," Axel told her. "They've never been fooled before."

"But that doesn't mean it's impossible," she said stubbornly.

"We have to consider the third party here, too," Demyx pointed out. "Whoever captured Roxas, I mean. We've got to assume they know something about us – after all, they caught Roxas, and that's no easy task. If they know us, they know about the Dusks. They might have some security to prevent that."

"Yeah, and they'll do whatever they want to Roxas," Axel argued.

"It's better than us having to kill him," Bruixe said vehemently.

Axel dropped his face into his hands. "So he's dead or he's… we don't know. Either way we're trapped."

Bruixe stared at the floor. "This sucks."

"Understatement," Demyx agreed.

* * *

The Dusks found Roxas the next day. Xemnas called a meeting immediately.

"The situation is… delicate," he announced. "The Dusks have found our renegade. However, as things are, they are unable to get to him. And I believe we have discovered a little more about our mysterious enemy. Xigbar. Report."

"I'm the one that sent out the Dusks," the Freeshooter began. "They reported to me an hour ago. They found Roxas. But the little guy's got some serious security around him. He's in a virtual reality of sorts. A computer program. And whoever designed this thing has got some major firewalls in place. The Dusks can't quite break through yet."

"I am currently designing a program to transfer the Dusks into data," Xemnas told what was left of the Organization. "Once it is finished, the Dusks should be able to find Roxas."

_Xemnas is working on it himself?_ Bruixe wondered. _This has __got__ to be big. But I guess he __is__ the computer guy._

"Why not just transfer one of us into data?" Luxord asked. "No need to use the Dusks."

"I will explain," Xemnas replied. "The use of this type of reality simulation is far beyond what the vast majority of technology-users are capable of. There is only one person I know of in all the worlds that would be capable of such a thing."

A hush fell across the room as everyone realized what that meant.

"I believe it is my old 'master'," Xemnas continued, smirking. "Ansem the Wise. He would have taken Roxas to be used as a weapon against us."

"Roxas would never agree to that," Bruixe spat.

Xemnas smiled arrogantly. "Not willingly," he replied. "It is my belief that Ansem would have erased our former comrade's memories. And, due to the boy's true identity… he may be an even greater force than we previously knew. Axel, why don't you explain?"

The redhead looked up, startled. "What do you mean?" he asked warily.

"You were the only one of us that was there," Xemnas said. "In Castle Oblivion, of course. The heartwitch Namine tore apart Sora's memories, yes? And what happened to our dear little girl after that?"

Axel crossed his arms. "She disappeared. Along with everyone else that was there – Sora, Riku, the King and his minions, everyone."

"Is it possible there was another person in the castle?" Xemnas answered. "A person such as Ansem the Wise? He would have been in disguise, of course. Not that it matters now."

Axel considered, then relented. "I suppose it's… possible."

"So Ansem the Wise is using Namine and Roxas together to try to restore Sora's memories," Xemnas concluded. "No doubt he hopes to gain Sora as a tool. He cannot be allowed to do so."

"I have programmed the main computer terminal in the new laboratory to keep surveillance over the virtual reality," Saix told them. "Until the Dusks are able to access the program, we can only watch and wait."

"I want two overseers on the terminal at all times," Xemnas ordered. "Axel, Bruixe. Take the first shift. Demyx, Xigbar, you will relieve them. I shall continue to program the Dusks into the virtual reality. But to insert a sentient being into the data… the security around the VR is simply too strong. We will have to wait for an opening. Those of you on surveillance will alert me as soon as an opening makes itself known. Dismissed."

"Great," Bruixe grumbled to herself. "Sitting still. Watching. Waiting. I can do that."

Demyx looked at Axel. "She. Cannot. Do. That."

Axel smirked. "Probably not."


	15. Open Mouth, Insert Foot

Hey, it's finally done! Writing this chapter sucked REALLY BAD. But here it is. (Now it's your turn, Lauren. Are you gonna update or what? Your punishment: no Demyx in this chapter. Hahaha.)

I don't own these characters 'cept Bruixe, you know the drill. Enjoy.

* * *

"I'm bored," Axel whined.

"Get over it," Bruixe grumbled.

"But I'm BORED!"

"I said get over it!"

"Well maybe I can't!"

"Well maybe you should!"

"Well maybe I don't care!"

"Well maybe I'll MAKE you care!"

"Would you two just shut up?" Xigbar complained.

Bruixe gave him a look. "You may be number two," she pointed out, "but we're on the same project here, so I don't want to hear it."

"Hate to break it to you, but I don't wanna be here any more than you do, sweetheart," Xigbar sighed.

Little sparks winked in and out around Axel's head. Bruixe recognized the signs. "What's got your panties in a twist, hotcakes?"

"I don't wear panties," he snapped, avoiding the question.

Bruixe tried really, really hard not to laugh. But some things you just can't change.

"Pay attention, you two," Xigbar ordered. "Our boy is waking up."

It was the second day of surveillance. On screen, Roxas crawled out of bed, rubbing his eyes. It was still strange – even after twenty-plus hours – not seeing him in the black Organization cloak… even though Bruixe had always thought he didn't look good in black.

It had been hard at first, seeing Roxas with three friends, for all purposes looking like he'd known them all his life. Bruixe kept reminding herself that he didn't remember his old friends, but still…

They'd done their best to make a joke out of it. "Can't believe he replaced me with that punk," Axel had said.

"At least the Hayner kid's a little similar to you," Bruixe had grumbled in reply. "Olette's such a _girl_."

At which point Axel had started laughing hysterically.

Now Roxas was running around the fake Twilight Town, trying to make munny by doing random odd jobs. She sighed. At this rate, it was going to be a reeeaaallly long day.

Bruixe looked at the screen but didn't really see it, lost in thought. Roxas had managed to summon the Keyblade – not his old ones, but at least it was a Keyblade of some sort – even though he had no memory of his life as a Nobody. He'd defeated the Dusks, though Bruixe had expected that one. Even with a fake memory, Roxas was no pushover. Now Xemnas was shut in his study every day, working on a program to allow Axel and Bruixe into the system. But the security around Ansem the Wise's virtual reality was just too strong.

"Whoa," Xigbar said, jerking Bruixe back into reality. On screen, Roxas and his 'friends' were approaching the station.

"What?" Bruixe wanted to know.

"This isn't right," the Freeshooter mumbled, typing commands into the computer. "They're going to the station… going to the beach… but there isn't a beach in this program."

"Then they can't go to the beach," Axel said unnecessarily.

"He'll have to make one," Xigbar said. "Or somehow stop Roxas from going… either way involves interfering with the program. We may have our opening."

Bruixe slid closer to the monitor, suddenly interested.

Roxas had accidentally thrown a stick at a mysterious man in a black cloak the day before – the same man that had captured Roxas in the real world. The Organization still had no idea who he was, only that he was working with Ansem the Wise. The man had been in and out of the program so quickly that Xigbar and Xemnas hadn't had time to figure out how he got there.

Now the strange man appeared again, and Xigbar's fingers flew over keys.

Roxas fell to his knees, tripping over something on the street. The cloaked man was next to him in a flash, pulling him back to his feet. What Roxas couldn't see – and what was clearly visible from the watchers's angle – was that the man also palmed Roxas's munny bag.

The man was gone as quickly as he appeared.

"Did you get that?" Bruixe demanded.

"Sort of," replied Xigbar, unsure. "Hang on – I'll get this to Xemnas, he'll want to see it."

The Freeshooter bolted from the room.

Roxas was inside the station now, and patting his pockets frantically, searching for the pouch. Bruixe couldn't help feeling a little sorry for him.

"Poor guy," she murmured.

Axel grunted noncommitally.

"Seriously, what's wrong?" Bruixe asked, a little irritated. "Don't think I didn't see those sparks before. You have no poker face."

"It fooled Marluxia and Larxene," Axel reminded her.

"Don't change the subject," she spat.

He looked away. "It's nothing."

"Don't lie," she told him. "It's very bad for your character."

She ran through the conversation in her head. "Let's see… we were arguing, Xigbar told us to shut up, I told him to stuff it, he argued with me…"

Axel's eyebrows pulled together.

"Something Xigbar said?" she guessed.

"If I tell you, you'll hit me," he said moodily.

Bruixe considered. "I promise not to hit you."

Axel looked at her for a long time, as if trying to decide whether she'd make good on her promise. Finally he crossed his arms. "Fine. He called you 'sweetheart'. And he's like twice – no, three times your age."

Bruixe raised her eyebrows incredulously. "That's all?" _Why would that even bother him? Unless… _She guffawed. "You were jealous?"

"No one calls you 'sweetheart'!" Axel said defensively. "If I tried it you'd hit me! But he can get away with it!"

"He's my boss!" Bruixe argued. "Or close to it, anyway!"

"I'm higher than you too, and you still hit me!"

"So he called me a name," Bruixe shrugged. "It's the same as 'hothead' or 'waterboy'. Just a name. It doesn't mean anything."

Axel scowled, sparks flickering again. "You're wrong," he said, voice dangerously soft. "You don't see the way they look at you. I may not be the brightest person around, but I can tell what they want. It doesn't take a psychic."

Bruixe frowned, but didn't say anything.

"It's like there's a line of people behind me, all wanting their shot at you," Axel continued. "It's so –"

"Behind YOU?" Bruixe yelled. "What, like I belong to you or something? Was me throwing you off a tower not a big enough hint for you? HANDS OFF! I don't belong to ANYONE!"

Axel's eyes took on a wide, panicky look. "I didn't mean it like that," he said hastily. "I mean – I know you're not a thing – not someone's toy – I mean, I can share –"

"SHARE!?" she shrieked, and lunged for him.

But before she could kill Axel, a firm hand clamped around her wrist. "Probably not the best idea, kiddo," Xigbar said conversationally. "Yeah, the hothead's annoying, but he can be useful sometimes."

She glared furiously at the Freeshooter for a moment, then broke free from his grasp.

"Can't turn my back for five seconds," Xigbar muttered as she stormed out of the room.


	16. Mysteries

Woo, we're on a roll! Okay, well, I'M on a roll. You guys just read. And never review. What bums. Review, people. Don't make me be one of those "I-won't-post-till-I-get-ten-reviews" Nazi people. You won't like me when I'm angry! (HULK SMASH!)

Okay, my random moment is over. Enjoy.

* * *

Bruixe refused to go back to the computer room the next day, instead locking herself in her room and refusing to talk to anyone. Even Xigbar, who didn't really know what had happened, knew enough to leave her alone.

On the fourth day of Roxas-watching, someone timidly knocked on her door. "Um, Bruixe?" called Demyx. "I know you're mad and all, but can I come in?"

"Whatever," Bruixe said indifferently.

Demyx poked his head into the room. "Um, Xemnas says… and these are his words, so don't get mad at me… that you should stop pouting and get your, um, butt back to the computer room, because he finished writing the new program and you and Axel have to go get Roxas."

Bruixe leapt to her feet and blew past the Melodious Nocturne, yelling, "Well it's about damn time!"

* * *

Demyx briefed her on the way. "Yesterday Namine – that's the witch that was at Castle Oblivion –"

"I know," Bruixe cut him off impatiently.

"Yesterday Namine hacked the VR program," Demyx said. "We don't really know why, because we couldn't tell what she was saying, but Ansem the Wise didn't let her in, so she used what Xigbar called a 'time-stop program'. It stopped the flow of time in the program and let her slide in past the security. Xemnas duplicated the program and thinks he can get an opening big enough for two people. He's sending you and Axel."

"He couldn't figure out how the mystery man got in?" Bruixe asked.

Her friend shook his head. "He was using Ansem the Wise's access codes. No security break. But Namine hacked it from the inside. Oh, and Xemnas says we'll probably only get to use this once before Ansem figures out how to block it. So don't mess up."

"Got it," Bruixe said confidently.

In the computer room, Xemnas was calmly typing in commands. The screen showed some street kid fighting a two-foot-tall imp guy.

"That's the bait," Demyx said, pointing to the imp. "He was a program called Vivi, but Xemnas managed to replace some of his coding with the Dusk program. When the Dusks bust out, the idea is Ansem the Wise'll be too busy fixing the program to keep us out. Distraction," he said, waving his hands excitedly.

"Bruixe, Axel, over there," Xemnas ordered, gesturing to the wall where an advanced-looking, person-sized data port stood. "Axel, you'll be in the square. If Roxas resists, knock him out and bring him back that way. Bruixe, I'm sending you to a rooftop to keep watch. If the mystery man appears again, he'll be your responsibility."

"My pleasure," Bruixe said menacingly. She couldn't wait to get her hands on the man who'd beat up Roxas. Demyz had called her the Twilight Avenger for a reason.

Roxas clambered onto the platform to fight the Vivi-thing.

"Good luck," Xigbar said smoothly, and then the world seemed to disappear in a shower of fizzles.

* * *

Bruixe fell hard onto the rough stone roof of the Twilight Town building, losing her balance and scraping her palms as she caught herself. Xemnas had put her on the highest building in the square – she could see everything. In front of her, far below, Roxas was fighting the Dusks that had come out of the Vivi-program. As he laid to waste the last one, Axel appeared in the square with perfect timing. "Roxas, alright," he called, clapping. "Fight fight fight."

"Who are you?" Roxas demanded.

_Pay attention_, Bruixe told herself. Her mission wasn't to watch Axel, but to watch his back. Once Ansem the Wise figured out his program had been hacked, he'd be sending his wingman to take care of things, Bruixe was sure of it.

She looked around the square. The Twilight Town inhabitants were completely frozen in time, some of them mid-cheer. Apparently it had been a tournament of some sort. Idly Bruixe wondered if Roxas had been winning.

"This town is his creation, right?" Axel was saying below. "Which means we don't have time for a Q & A."

As if on cue, Bruixe saw a figure step out of nowhere on the rooftop next to hers. The mystery man, in the flesh. It was the first time she'd seen him up close. He was big – as tall and broad-shouldered as Xemnas – and wore his hood up, as usual.

He drew near the railing – the two of them were behind Axel. If the man moved now, he'd take her friend by surprise. Bruixe acted instinctively.

She took a running start and launched herself off the building, landing easily on the rooftop below. There wasn't time to draw her weapons – she used her momentum to catch the big man in a full-body tackle, knocking him to the 'floor'.

He evidently hadn't expected an attack from above, but kicked upward, showving her away. She heard the telltale snap of a weapon summoned and lashed out automatically – it clattered across the roof. But he was on his feet now, and slammed her against the railing.

Far below on the Struggle platform, Axel and Roxas were fighting, twin blurs of black and white, red and blonde.

Bruixe's elbow caught her opponent in the jaw, and she managed to slip out of his grasp, fists battering every part of the big man she could reach. He swatted her away like a fly.

He outclassed her in size and strength. Bruixe was more nimble, but the big man could easily overpower her. But she had one advantage – she didn't have to defeat him, only keep him on the rooftop and out of Axel's way.

He charged her with all the force of a freight train, knocking the wind out of her. His huge hand caught her around the throat, but he didn't stand a chance – Bruixe's friends were in danger, and she was invincible. Sharp nails dug into the fleshy underside of her attacker's arm; the pressure around her neck ceased as he dropped her like something hot. She stole a glance at the square below: a masked man she could only assume was Ansem the Wise had appeared; Roxas clutched his head and seemed to be yelling something.

It was a rookie mistake, one she immediately regretted. Her distraction allowed her opponent to dart past her guard – she was knocked through the air, flipping over the railing and off the edge. Bruixe flung out a hand in desperation and by some miracle caught a bar. She slammed against the building wall, dazed, connected to safety by a flimsy metal railing. She'd managed to catch the vertical support; her wrist was twisted at an impossible angle.

A shadow passed over her face, blocking out the sun, and she closed her eyes, preparing for death. But strong hands seized her arm, hauling her over the railing to solid ground. She looked up to see the hem of a black cloak disappearing through a dark portal.

Her opponent had – saved her?

Fizzles engulfed the world again as the program collapsed, and she was back in the computer room. Axel was already there, evidently Roxas-less.

"Bruixe? What happened?" Xemnas demanded.

She shook her head slowly. "I'm not really sure…"


	17. Compromised

Hey guys. I forgot to mention this in the last chapter, but Bruixe was wearing her hood up during the fight with the 'mysterious stranger'… (and if you HAVEN'T figured it out yet, he's really Riku). Neither of them knew who the other was.

And a note about Twilight Town. The real one, not the program. It seems there's been some confusion. Twilight Town (well, in my fanfic at least) is full of Heartless. It's been completely overrun. When Ansem the Wise and Riku move out, the normal inhabitants will show up again. But for now, it's all Heartless.

This chapter's reaally long. Buckle in. I don't own Kingdom Hearts, except for Bruixe. Enjoy.

* * *

"WHAT?!" Bruixe screeched.

Demyx quailed. "It's not my fault!" he whined. "They just sent me to tell you!"

"This is BULLSHIT!" she yelled.

When Bruixe had reported to the computer room for the fifth day of surveillance, the three seats were already filled by Axel, Demyx, and Xigbar. Demyx had pulled her out into the hall and broken the news. Bruixe was being taken off the mission.

"Why?" she complained loudly. "What did I do?"

"Actually, it's not something youdid," Demyx told her. "It's that guy. The one we don't know. He saved you, right? Saix and Xemnas were talking, and Saix seemed to think you'd be… compromised. A life for a life, that sort of thing. Saix was convinced you wouldn't go against him, even though he's the enemy."

Bruixe had never thought about it that way. It had never been about the strange man to her – it had been about Roxas. But now… as much as she hated to admit it, Saix was right. The faceless, nameless stranger had taken on a much different meaning to her. He may have been their enemy… but he wasn't a killer.

"Can't believe this," she muttered.

"It's slow going anyway," Demyx said, obviously trying to make her feel better. "Xemnas's time-stop program won't work with the new security this Ansem guy put up. He thinks there's no way to get in right now."

"Then why are you still watching?" Bruixe pointed out.

Demyx shrugged. "Roxas is in that program, right? At some point Ansem's gonna have to take him outof the program. To do that, he'll have to take down the security. Xemnas thinks we can get in then."

"The timing would have to be perfect," she mused. "Otherwise you'd miss him…"

"You can still watch with us," Demyx said. "But no more going in. When the security comes down, it's gonna be just Axel."

Bruixe blinked. "That's stupid," she scoffed. "Roxas kicked his ass once, he can do it again."

"Maybe," Demyx said. "Maybe not. Xemnas thinks it'll be sometime tomorrow. I'll come get you," he offered, knowing Bruixe would want to be there.

"Thanks," she said gratefully. "I'm gonna… I dunno. I'm going out."

"See ya," Demyx replied. "Don't do anything Axel wouldn't do."

Bruixe snickered.

* * *

She hadn't really made up her mind on where she was going, but somehow she ended up in Twilight Town – the real one, not the virtual. A few Heartless ran around helter-skelter; she summoned her Rogues, watching them destroy the shadows with ease.

Bruixe wandered through Tram Commons, wondering if the tram would ever run again, if the inhabitants of this lonely town would ever come back.

Something ahead caught her attention – a flash of black. Had she missed a Heartless? She ran forward to see, and she gasped involuntarily. This was no Heartless.

Ahead, the mysterious cloaked man was disappearing into the hole in the commons wall, headed for the mansion.

A million thoughts ran through her head at once, but the only one she could make sense of was _Follow him._

She allowed herself a small grin. Well, she could do that.

Bruixe tracked her quarry through the woods but frowned when he closed the gate behind him, locking it with an enormous keyhole. _Where's Roxas when you need him?_ she wondered. The lock wouldn't stop her, but it would certainly slow her down.

She waited until the man had closed the mansion door behind him before she shimmied up the wrought-iron poles of the gate, dropping over the other side in a soft _thump_ of rustled grass. The door to the mansion didn't squeak, thank goodness – but the foyer was deserted, with no sign of where the man had gone.

She took in her surroundings. One door was completely blocked off by rubble – she ruled that one out. She went to the door on the opposite side, pressing her ear against it; when she heard nothing, she shoved it open an inch to look in. Empty.

Bruixe swept up the stairs, feeling exposed in the wide-open room. To her right, she slipped through another door, pulling her hood up just in case.

Inside, the room had clearly once been a library, but the floor had been cut away to reveal a set of stairs and a hidden basement. She could hear voices below, and she crept down the stairs, knowing it was risky to get too close, but wanting to hear.

"Why did you show him the train?" someone asked.

"Because he missed the trip to the beach," replied another. This voice she recognized from having heard it in the virtual Twilight Town, however briefly. It was Ansem the Wise. She'd found their enemies.

"Hmph… that's almost kind of you," said the first man, who she now knew to be the mysterious stranger.

"Now… what about you? Are the holes in your memory starting to fill in?" Ansem asked.

"Yes… the haze is clearing.

"The same thing is happening to everyone who had ties to Sora," Ansem concluded. Bruixe wondered idly what they were talking about. "Very soon, to them, he'll be like a good friend who's gone away for a year."

"I've waited, and now I want to know," said the stranger firmly. "What is it that you want?"

There was a pause, and then: "Revenge."

_Xemnas was right,_Bruixe realized. _He's out to take down the Organization._

"Revenge…" repeated the first man.

"Now, for the finishing touches," Ansem said in a no-nonsense voice. "First, we must dispose of Namine. She did a splendid job with Sora, but it's high time she disappeared. Roxas isn't the only one who was never meant to exist. Take care of it, Ansem."

_What? _Ansem the Wise had just called his own accomplice 'Ansem'. It didn't make any sense.

She heard movement, and launched herself back up the stairs, out the door. Behind her, heavy footsteps echoed, someone moving quickly.

A moment of panic. If she escaped across the foyer, he'd see her before she got to the door. Where, then? She dashed across the second floor, slipping into the room she hadn't checked.

This room was completely white, one wall occupied by a huge bay window, the others papered with artwork – sketches. A long white table stood in the center of the room. At one end, a small blonde girl sat. She fit Axel's description of the heart-witch. Namine.

_Shit._

The girl gasped, opened her mouth to yell, and then Bruixe was there in a flash, gloved hand clamped firmly around the girl's face. "Not a sound," she ordered. If she'd had a heart, it would be pounding a thousand beats a minute. That man had just been ordered to kill Namine, and Bruixe was right there…

As if reading her mind, the door opened.

The stranger – Ansem? – took in the scene, tensing up. "You," he said.

Bruixe knew he recognized her from the fight on the roof, hood or no hood. She didn't answer.

"Let her go," 'Ansem' said.

Bruixe's mind kicked into overdrive. _Why does he want me to let her go? He was just ordered to kill her. Unless… unless he doesn't want to?_

'Ansem' sensed her hesitation and put it together. "Hm… you were listening. Alright, whoever you are, at least let Namine talk."

Bruixe scowled deeper, but slipped her hand off the girl's mouth, instead summoning one of her short swords to keep at the girl's neck.

"DiZ wants you to kill me?" Namine guessed.

_DiZ? Is that what Ansem the Wise is calling himself? Why hide it?_

"He told me it was high time you disappeared," Ansem said. "But… this worked out better than I could've hoped. You. Cloak-girl."

It was a pity he couldn't see Bruixe's face – her scowl would have put Xaldin's to shame.

"Fine, don't talk," he said, frustrated. "Look, you want to get out of here safe, right? And I want to not have to kill Namine. Why don't we… compromise."

Bruixe snorted.

"Hey, I saved your life," the man reminded her. "You owe me, whether you like it or not. So I'll tell you what. Take Namine out of here and go."

Finally Bruixe spoke, her voice almost a snarl, filled with fear and rage. Rage that she was being manipulated, and fear that her superiors were going to rake her over the coals for this. "What makes you think she'll be safe with me?" she spat.

The man shrugged. "She won't. Not if you're one of… them, anyway. Why were you following me? How did you find us?"

Bruixe looked away for a minute, ignoring his questions. "Look. You saved my life. I appreciate that. But you also stole my friend from me. You're still my enemy. If I do this for you… then we're square. I don't owe you anything."

"If we're lucky, we'll never see each other again," the man pointed out.

Bruixe snickered. "Fair enough." The blade disappeared from her hand. "Come on, girly, let's go."

"You're a friend of Axel's?" Namine asked as they stepped into a portal.

Bruixe had forgotten the heart-witch knew her hot-tempered friend. "Yeah," she answered. "He let you go, didn't he?"

Namine looked surprised. "Did he get in trouble?"

"Not… really," Bruixe said, allowing herself a small smile despite her foul mood. "But he's sort of on probation. Both of us are. If my superiors knew about this…"

"You won't tell them?" Namine asked. "You won't give DiZ and… and Ansem away?"

Bruixe noticed the hesitation, but decided not to ask. "If I do," she pointed out, "I'll have to explain why I didn't take you back to base."

"You're… you're not…?"

They came out of the portal in a grassy valley, clouds rolling overhead, a gentle wind blowing. "Where are we?" Namine wondered.

"Don't ask stupid questions," Bruixe scoffed. "You'll be safe here. There's a good place…" She led the younger girl to the cliffside nearby, shoving aside heavy branches to reveal a small cave, completely hidden by brush.

She'd found it years ago. It was the ideal place to hide – quiet, secluded, hidden from anyone who didn't know it was there. Perfect for a little girl with the entire Eternal Kingdom against her.

"You're in the McClain Mountains right now," Bruixe told the heart-witch. "If you go south through the valley, it opens up into a big field. There's a city there. You can hide here, or you can go into the city. Doesn't matter to me. If you see that guy again, tell him I kept my side of the bargain. We're even."

"Thank you, um… what's your name?"

"Bruixe," she said. "Number fourteen. Listen, about Nobodies… we aren't all bad. We aren't all evil creepers like Marluxia."

Namine smiled as if at something funny. "I know," she said.

Bruixe crossed her arms. "Well… I won't see you around. Don't do anything stupid. You have no idea what I'm risking…"

With that, she disappeared into another portal. _I hope Xemnas doesn't find out about this…_


	18. Playing With Fire

Sorry it's been so long, people. My parents are being dumb, so I've had to use school computers… ick. Anyway, better late than never, right? I don't own any of these characters, except Bruixe. Enjoy.

* * *

Bruixe was out of bed and moving without any trace of grogginess the next morning, anxious to see Axel off. She blew past Demyx on her way to the computer room, arriving slightly out of breath a minute before he did.

"What, you couldn't have waited?" he muttered.

Axel was already near the data port, waiting. "Hey, you made it," he said casually as she approached him.

"'Course I did," she replied. "As if there was any doubt."

The entire Organization – well, what was left of them – was gathered in the tiny room, so she chose her words carefully. "Keep him safe," she whispered so only Axel could hear. Then, louder, "Don't do anything I wouldn't do."

"Is there anything you wouldn't do?" Axel wondered.

Bruixe smirked. "I can think of a few things."

"Barrier's down," Xigbar called.

"That's my cue," Axel said.

Xemnas's fingers flew over the keyboard, and Bruixe stepped back as the data port came to life.

Apprehension must have shown on her face, because Demyx laid a hand on her shoulder in comfort. "He'll be fine," her friend assured her.

Bruixe crossed her arms. "I should be with him.

"Axel can take care of himself," Demyx said, glancing around at their superiors. "No worries."

She turned to the computer rather than answer. The screen was divided in two – one side seemed to be from Roxas's perspective, the other from Axel's. They were in the alley, facing each other.

"Look at what it's come to," Axel said casually. "I've been given these icky orders to destroy you – if you refuse to come back with me."

Roxas took a tiny step back, hesitated. "We're – best friends, right?"

Stunned silence fell across the computer room.

"Sure…" Axel replied, confused. "But I'm not getting turned into a Dusk for…" Then reality hit. "Wait a sec! You remember now!?"

"Yeah," Roxas told him.

"Great!" the redhead half-shouted. "But, you know, gotta make sure and all. So, um… what's our boss's name?"

Roxas was silent.

Xaldin snorted softly. "The brat doesn't remember," he said. "He's bluffing."

Onscreen Axel seemed to realize the same thing. "Can't believe this," he said sadly, Nobodies springing to life around him.

"Fight him yourself, you coward," Saix muttered. Bruixe kept her eyes trained on the screen, careful not to show any irritation with the Diviner.

Roxas defeated the nobodies easily, but now Axel seemed to have regained his resolve. He leapt at Roxas, weapons raised.

Before he could strike the younger boy, however, the 'Axel' side of the screen shorted out, grey static replacing the image. On Roxas's screen, time seemed to have frozen. A booming voice called, "Roxas! To the mansion! The time has come!"

"No," Xemnas growled, typing commands, trying to counteract the time-stop program.

_Run, Roxas,_ Bruixe willed her friend. _Hurry. Get out of there. Don't fight._

By the time Roxas reached the woods, Xemnas had disabled the program. Axel's screen flickered back to life.

"The Roxas that I know is long gone," Axel muttered to himself. "Fine. I see how it is."

Meanwhile, Roxas ran straight to the white room of the mansion, and someone was waiting for him.

Bruixe stifled a gasp. _Namine?! _she thought angrily. _What the hell… I go through all that to free her and she CAME BACK?!_

But seeint the expression on the witch's face, the reason was clear. Namine had come back for Roxas. To help him.

_Looks like we aren't the only ones who care about the kid,_ Bruixe realized.

The two were interrupted by Ansem the Wise, and then Bruixe's cloaked acquaintance.

"DiZ, we're out of time," 'Ansem' reported. "Too many Nobodies!"

Sure enough, on Axel's screen, the redhead was surrounded by Dusks, Assassins, and Creepers. He'd made it to the basement of the virtual mansion – Roxas would have to fight him to reach the pods, where he could exit the virtual world.

"Simply amazing, Roxas," Axel called as the boy came hurtling into the room. Telltale sparks danced around his head.

"Axel," Roxas said warily.

Axel's face was a mask of fury. "You really do remember me this time? I'm SO FLATTERED!" he roared, the room bursting into an inferno with the pyro's rage. "But you're too late!"

Roxas's expression changed to mirror Axel's, and there was a flash of light. When it faded, Roxas's customary Keyblades – Oathkeeper and Oblivion, he'd called them – had replaced the standard Kingdom Key.

This was no brainwashed, rookie Roxas. This was the real deal. Bruixe's hands flew to cover her mouth, silver eyes worried. She'd never seen Roxas bested… but then again, she'd never seen Axel this enraged.

"Two?" he spat, but crouched into a fighting stance. "Come here," he taunted softly. "I'll make it all stop."

Tension was thick in the computer room as the two battled furiously. All eyes were locked on the screen – all eyes, that is, except for Saix's, which were fixed on Bruixe's anxious expression.

Axel fought brilliantly, fueled by rage and hatred, but Roxas was not to be denied. Half of the screen wavered as Axel fell, weapons clattering to the floor, darkness swarming around him.

"No!" Bruixe shouted, slamming her fists against the computer. "Do something!"

Demyx grabbed her from behind, restraining her. "They can't," he told her. "Calm down, you'll make it worse."

"Axel," Roxas said quietly, stepping forward.

The redhead looked up, calmer now, his anger spent. "Let's meet again in the next life."

"Yeah," Roxas agreed. "I'll be waiting."

"Silly," Axel laughed halfheartedly. "Just because you have a next life…"

Axel's screen shorted out again as the data port flared to life. Bruixe broke free of Demyx's hold and was at Axel's side in an instant, catching her friend as he fell.

"He got me after all," he murmured weakly, eyes drooping closed.

"You idiot," she choked, but Axel was already unconscious. She shifted his arm over her shoulder, struggling with his weight, but Demyx came to her aid, supporting Axel's other side. Together they hauled Axel to the door.

"Wait," Saix ordered. "He needs to be interrogated –"

"You saw it yourself," Bruixe snapped over her shoulder. "Roxas beat him. You already know what happened."

"But –"

"It'll have to wait," she told him angrily. Truth be told, she couldn't care less about what Saix wanted. _I may have lost Roxas,_ she thought stubbornly, _but there's no way in hell I'm losing Axel, too._


	19. Unpredictable

Hey guys. Here's another chapter. Sorry about the wait.

Hehe… I love writing about Bruixe's violent tendencies. And not hitting-people Bruixe. I-wonder-how-many-ways-I-can-kill-you Bruixe.

Thanks to Blastbone and RockOnRose for being steady reviewers. You guys rock. And of course, I don't own anyone except Bruixe. Enjoy.

* * *

Axel's recovery was long and tedious; Roxas had pummeled him within an inch of his life. Xigbar – the best healer by far now that Vexen and Zexion were gone – had prescribed Axel bed rest until further notice. Bruixe and Demyx spent their days in Axel's room, keeping their friend company and amusing themselves by waging intricate Nobody-wars across the wide white floor.

By the end of the seventh day, Bruixe's Rogues had completely mastered the art of destroying Demyx's Dancers. "It's not even fun anymore," she complained as her minions disposed of the last one. Axel chuckled.

Demyx looked as if he were about to reply, but suddenly the door flew open, effectively ending the conversation. All three of them looked up to see Saix there, flanked by two huge Berserker Nobodies.

"What's going on?" Demyx asked warily.

Saix smiled coolly. "I hate to break up the fun, but –"

"Spare us the melodrama," Axel muttered from the pillows. "Spill it already."

"You'll remember our little conversation in the computer room?" Saix asked, looking directly at Bruixe. "You told me 'it would have to wait', no? But after all, there are certain rules around here, and consequences for not maintaining those rules…"

Bruixe looked from Saix to the Berserkers to Axel, and suddenly she realized what was happening. She leapt to her feet. "No," she growled threateningly.

"What's going on?" Demyx demanded again.

"So what, you're the bounty hunter now?" Bruixe snarled, getting right up in Saix's face; she was an inch taller than him, and now she used it to her advantage. "You won't take him. Not if I have to fight you myself."

Saix raised an eyebrow. "Don't be hasty, dear Bruixe. Or shall I add you to the bounty list?"

"Bruixe," Demyx hissed cautiously.

She ignored her friend and continued to glare menacingly at the Diviner, daring him to test her. Behind her, Rogues left over from the mock-war chattered and purred, bladed forearms clicking against the floor as they sensed their mistress's anger.

Saix gazed back at her impassively. "I will only ask you once. Stand aside, Number 14."

"Not likely," she spat. Her mind buzzed with possible plans of action. she could easily destroy the Berserkers, but her distraction would undoubtedly be enough for Saix to kill her anyway. No, she'd go for his throat, a much closer target, and she'd just have to hope her Rogues – or Demyx – reacted fast enough to take care of the minions. Saix was inches away – it wouldn't even take a kodachi. She could snap his neck with her bare hands.

Of course, it would be faster to go for the face, shove his nose back into his brain. But she wouldn't need the extra advantage; she was faster than Saix, she knew it. And somehow the neck seemed more appropriate. More vulgar. Fitting for slime like Saix – a messy end.

But Axel seemed to guess her intentions. "No," he said firmly. There was movement behind her, but Bruixe refused to tear her eyes away from Saix.

"No, don't get –" Demyx started to say, and then a heavy hand was on Bruixe's shoulder.

"It's all right, Bruixe," Axel said, using her as a sort of crutch to steady himself. "I'll go."

_It's not all right!_ she wanted to scream, but he nodded reassuringly, and Bruixe knew by the look in his eyes that she would never be able to change his mind.

"Don't get yourself in trouble for me. If I go quietly, there's no reason to fight," he said reasonably, looking at Saix. "Right?"

The Diviner nodded, a tiny smirk spreading across his face. "Wonderful." The Berserkers shifted to allow the two of them passage, and then they were gone.

"AAAAARGH!" Bruixe roared as the door closed behind them, releasing her pent-up frustration. She kicked the door angrily, ignoring the protest of pain in her foot.

"Easy," Demyx warned her. "There's nothing we can do –"

"How can you say that?" she yelled, whirling on the Nocturne. "How can you stand there and say there's nothing we can do? There has to be something! I can't just stand here and watch shit like this happen, I won't, and just because you're too afraid to stand up to them doesn't mean –" She broke off as hurt registered across Demyx's face.

"Shit, Demyx, I didn't mean that," she said, horrified at herself. "I shouldn't have said that…"

"'S okay," he said quietly. "It's the truth… I'm not brave like you, or strong like Roxas, or clever like Axel or anything. I'm a coward."

"No, no, no," Bruixe whispered, smothering him in a giant hug. "Don't say that. You're a good person, Demyx… you're funny, and cheerful, and… we're gonna get through this, you and me. Together."

He nodded reluctantly. "First Roxas, now Axel…"

She pulled away to glare at him. "Don't give up on him just yet. Look, I don't even know… where is Saix taking him? What happens now?"

Demyx looked away. "They'll take him to the dungeons. You said they know you and Axel let Roxas go… they'll interrogate him, try to find out what he knows. Saix… he… he's their torturer."

"Knew I should've offed him while I had the chance," Bruixe muttered bitterly.

Demyx blinked, appalled. "Are you serious? You really would've killed him?"

"Absolutely," she replied with utter confidence. "I was going to snap his neck. Teach him to mess with my friends."

"But then you'd have been in major dog poop," he reminded her.

She laughed forcefully. "Would've made me feel better. Besides, better we were on the run and together than split up and arrested. Like now."

Demyx's forehead creased. "They won't kill him, you know. They know if they did, you'd be their enemy. Even more so than now. As long as Axel's alive, they can use him as blackmail, make sure you're on their side."

Bruixe scoffed. "You make it sound like they're scared of me," she snorted.

"But they are," he told her. "You can't tell? You're unpredictable, Bruixe, and if you did turn on them… you're strong enough that you'd do some serious damage. And they're afraid you'd take me and Axel with you… well, not so much Axel anymore. But think about it. If we deserted… joined Roxas, well, I guess Sora and Ansem the Wise… the Organization wouldn't stand a chance."

That one threw her for a loop. "Never thought of it that way," she mused. "Kinda makes you wish we'd've abandoned ship a long time ago."

"Too late now," Demyx muttered.

"Better late than never," she disagreed. "But Axel… this is a mess."

"There's nothing we can do tonight," he pointed out. "Not while Saix is around… and Xaldin will be standing guard, probably… we can sort this out in the morning."

"If you say so," Bruixe replied.

* * *

Bruixe slept badly that night, plagued by dreams of fire and torture. In her nightmares, the ghosts of her past were all too real, especially alongside the demons of her present – she woke in a sweat, glancing at the clock. Four A.M.

A noise sounded from outside her room. She pulled on her cloak and slipped out the door, looking around. The sound echoed through the halls, and now she recognized it with a sick feeling.

Somewhere in the castle, Axel was screaming in pain.

Bruixe sprinted towards the dungeon, taking stairs three at a time, sliding around corners like a demented race car from hell. She stopped abruptly at the dungeon entrance – Xaldin stood in her way, arms clasped behind his back.

"Going somewhere?" he asked in his deep, raspy voice.

Axel's yells were louder here, almost unbearable.

She could kill Xaldin, but no doubt Axel would die if she did, murdered by Saix before she could reach him. Bruixe clenched her fists angrily, helplessly. She turned her back on Xaldin, hating herself, hating them all. So much for not having a heart.

* * *

The days passed by agonizingly slow. Every night Bruixe would jam her pillow over her head, trying to drown out the macabre howls of torture, failing miserably. Every night she scouted the dungeon entrance, only to be turned away by Xaldin's unfailing presence.

She knew what the look on Xaldin's face meant – the Organization knew that she would betray them without hesitation if provoked. But somehow Bruixe didn't care.

Didn't care, that is, until Demyx came hurtling into her room one morning.

He hadn't bothered to knock, which in itself would have worried her. His face was contorted in panic, and he was babbling incoherently. "I – you – orders, mission, kill, Sora, no, Roxas – Axel, you – mission, I –"

"Run that by me one more time?" Bruixe asked, raising an eyebrow.

Demyx took several rushed, gasping breaths. "I overheard Xemnas and Xigbar talking. There's a mission in Hollow Bastion. They're planning something big, and Roxas, no, Sora will be there. But they want someone to slow him down while they finish preparing the 'operation'. They want Sora to win, though – it's a suicide mission. They know you're a traitor. They're gonna send you."

"No way in hell," Bruixe spat.

"If you don't go, they're gonna execute Axel!" he wailed.

Bruixe stopped breathing.

"Don't you get it?" Demyx cried. "You've got to run, get out now, before they can trap you with this. If you don't you'll die!"

"I can't," she whispered. _If I go, Axel…_

"You have to!" he half-shouted.

Bruixe shook her head. "Not yet."

"Why not?!" he demanded.

A grim smile spread across her face. "Because I'm taking Axel with me."


	20. Crazy

I've gotta give credit to my friend Lauren for helping me with this chapter. Lauren is definetely the reigning expert on all things Demyx… most of the Demyx dialogue in this chapter was her idea. You're the best, Lauren.

Keep in mind that neither Lauren nor I own any of these characters, sad as it seems. Thanks to Blastbone, DearlyBeloved-13, and anyone else who reviewed.

(insert evil laugh) Beating up Saix is fun. Enjoy.

"ARE YOU NUTS?" Demyx yelled.

"That's debatable," Bruixe agreed.

"You're crazy!" her friend ranted. "There's no way you'll get him out of there, it's suicide, there's always a guard, and you can't get into the dungeon by portal, it's some sort of spell Xaldin designed. It's imposs –"

Bruixe waved a hand impatiently. "We're not arguing about this. If I leave without Axel, they'll kill him. Why keep him around if they're not gonna use him for blackmail against me? If there's a guard, well, we'll just have to make some sort of distraction. Something huge. If Xaldin's out of the way… I can take care of Saix."

Demyx eyed her dubiously, but didn't question her logic. "If it's a distraction you need," he began slowly, "I might have an idea. Leave it to me."

Bruixe blinked. "You'll… help me?"

"Of course!" he said, shocked. "You're like my best friend! Well, if Nobodies even have friends. Besides, someone's got to keep you out of trouble."

"You're the best. Ever," she told him gratefully. "How much time can you get me?"

He frowned. "Fifteen minutes, tops. Then they'll figure it out… and just pointing out here, even if I give you a distraction, Saix isn't gonna leave. The alarm doesn't sound in the dungeons."

"Like I said, not a problem," Bruixe said airily, thinking, _We have an alarm system?_

"You wanna do it now, or later?" Demyx asked.

"The sooner, the better," she answered. "Is now okay? I mean, do you need to get ready, or…?"

"Now is fine," he told her.

The full implication of what they were doing struck Bruixe then. "What if they know you helped me?" she whispered.

Demyx shrugged. "Doesn't matter," he said. "They won't kill me, I'm not worth it to them."

"Come with us," Bruixe offered. "Believe me, I know a place they'll never find us, we'll be safe, and –"

He shook his head. "If I went with you, who would give you your distraction?" he pointed out. "Besides, I'd only slow you down. Don't argue with me, just go."

Bruixe was going to argue anyway, but Demyx crossed his arms and did his best to look stubborn. "Okay, you win," she relented.

Her friend opened a portal. "Wait until you hear the alarm, then go," he told her. "Tell Axel… tell him I said 'hey'."

"Will do," she said. "Demyx… look, I know how this is going to sound, but… why do you care?"

He frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Nobodies don't have feelings," Bruixe mused. "Why are you doing this? You don't have to get yourself in trouble… but you care. Why?"

He gave her a wistful look. "Because," he said. "I don't want my best friend to get hurt. Even if it means I'll never see her again."

For the first time Bruixe could remember, she was absolutely speechless.

"'Bye, Bruixe," Demyx said, and then he was gone.

* * *

Bruixe followed Demyx's instructions and waited not-very-patiently, lurking silently in a side hallway, until the castle alarm went off and Xaldin's heavy footsteps thundered past. She stole around a corner, keeping on her toes, trying to make as little noise as possible as she sprinted to the dungeons.

Demyx had only promised her fifteen minutes. _Ticktock,_ she thought. _We're on the clock._

She'd never been in here before. The room was the same bleached white as the rest of the castle, and Bruixe wondered what Xemnas had against color. A walkway ran along one wall; prison cells hung suspended near the opposite wall, touching nothing, seemingly weightless.

She hurtled past empty cells until she spotted Axel in one, slumped against a wall, wearing nothing but a pair of black pants. On any other occasion, she was sure Axel would make some snide remark about being shirtless. As for right now, shock seemed to overcome his sense of humor.

"What are you doing here?" he whispered. Both of his hands and forearms were bloody and scarred; some of the wounds looked fresh. Saix's handiwork, no doubt. Angry red welts crisscrossed his back and shoulders.

"Busting you out," Bruixe replied grimly. "What's it look like?"

"Are you CRAZY?" he hissed.

"Seemingly," said a bored voice from behind her. Bruixe wheeled to see Saix. _Of course,_ she thought. Well, she couldn't say she hadn't looked forward to this.

Without waiting for him to go on, Bruixe sprang at him, catching his jaw in a right hook. _No weapons, _she decided. _More fun that way._

She gave him no mercy, pummeling him with her fists, her knees, her feet. Saix struggled to block her blows, but he wasn't as good hand-to-hand as she was. She had no doubts that if he could summon his berserker claymore, he'd destroy her, but all she had to do was make sure he didn't have room for that.

Bruixe growled and threw a final punch at his face, but to her surprise he dodged, hand flashing out. A line of pain streaked across her face, and she caught a glimpse of a short dagger in the Diviner's hand – probably the same one he'd used to torture Axel.

Too bad for him, Bruixe's rage over Axel far outweighed the pain from her cheek. She whipped her foot up and kicked the dagger out of Saix's hand, drilling her elbow into that stupid X-shaped scar. He dropped to the floor like so much dead weight.

_Ticktock,_ said a little voice in the back of her head.

She glared down at the fallen Diviner, but rather than finish him off, she turned and sprinted to Axel's cell.

"Jeez," was all the redhead had to say.

She ignored this. "Watch yourself," she said. She closed her eyes and remembered the sensation of darkness from when she was in the Eternal Kingdom. Power flowed down her arm, concentrating in the palm of her hand. "Break," she whispered, eyes snapping open. The cell bars exploded with a noise like the end of the world.

Her magic looked a little different than the last time she'd used it. Before, it had the deep violet-blue color of darkness; now it was streaked with silver. _Twilight,_ she realized with irony. _How appropriate._

"What did you DO?" Axel muttered, trying to get up, but his mangled limbs refused to support him.

_Ticktock._

Bruixe groaned and rushed to him, dragging him up by his bicep and draping his arm across her shoulder. "Xaldin will be back any minute," she told him. "We've got to run."

Pure adrenaline got them to the dungeon exit, and Bruixe spotted Axel's cloak piled on the floor; she snagged it as they came out into the eerie World That Never Was starlight.

She summoned a portal and half-shoved her friend through, scanning around to make sure no one had seen before she followed.

_We did it,_ she realized. _We escaped the Organization._


	21. Fugitives

Hey guys, sorry it's been so long. I'm writing this during first period in between projects, so the going's been a little choppy. But it's finally done!

Only one more chapter until the end… Enjoy.

* * *

"Where are we?" Axel asked.

"The Eternal Kingdom," Bruixe told him. "I grew up here… this is where I met you, remember?"

"Vaguely," he replied.

Together they staggered to the hidden cave, Bruixe leading, Axel using her as a crutch again.

"Cool," he said as Bruixe helped him sit on the ground and pulled the bushes back over the mouth. "How'd you find this place?"

"Long story." She wondered where Namine was, if the witch had ever come back here. _Evidently not,_ she thought.

Bruixe glanced at Axel's mutilated hands and grimaced. "Look, I'm gonna go get something for that," she decided. "Stay here. I'll be back soon."

"Yeah, soon like 'tomorrow' soon, I bet," he muttered, and she flipped him off as she left.

* * *

Two hours later she was sneaking back through the valley, avoiding the watchful eyes of the Citadel, laden down with bandages, medicines, and a large jug of water stolen from an apothecary in Kingdom City. _Just like old times,_ Bruixe thought. It probably hadn't been the most honest thing to do, but people tended to notice strangers, especially black-cloaked ominous-looking strangers. The last thing she wanted now was to be noticed, what with the Organization probably hunting for them and the Council of Nine likely still pissed off at her.

Axel had fallen asleep, dozing against the cave wall. He woke as she sat down next to him, unloading her prizes on the ground.

"Cloak off," she told him.

"Why, Bruixe, this is so sudden," he joked, but shrugged it off anyway, baring his maimed back.

She ignored him and went to work, cleaning crusted blood off of what was left of his skin, trying to be gentle. Axel groaned.

"Talk," she ordered.

"What?" he complained.

"Helps with the pain," Bruixe told him. "It's distracting. Now talk."

"Okay… um, how'd you get in the dungeons?"

"Demyx made a distraction," she replied.

"What kind of distraction?" he asked warily.

"Dunno," Bruixe shrugged. "He didn't say. But it must have been pretty awesome."

"That guy never ceases to amaze me," Axel said, shaking his head.

"Keep talking," she reminded him, using her short sword to cut bandages.

Axel shrugged again, then winced when it stretched his poorly healed scabs. "Um… I'm glad you beat up Saix?"

Bruixe chuckled.

"Seriously, though," Axel said. "I mean, besides the whole torturing-me thing…"

"Sorry about that," she whispered.

"Don't be," he told her. "But besides that… he's a jackass. Really. Talking trash about you and Roxas… you know, he was the first one I met when I joined the Organization. Xigbar used to joke around, said we were polar opposites, that I had to join to balance him out."

"Wouldn't you be Vexen's polar opposite, though?" she pointed out.

"Maybe," he agreed. "But Vexen I can tolerate… could tolerate, I guess. Saix is just a jerk."

"I know," Bruixe told him.

"Anyway, being in the Organization pretty much sucked until Roxas and you joined," he went on. "Well, I guess Demyx isn't bad, but you know how it is… Roxas was, is, like my best friend. Well, you are too."

Bruixe bandaged the last welt and moved to sit in front of her friend, carefully taking one mangled hand in her own, fighting a shudder. Saix had taken his time here, methodically slicing crescents of flesh from Axel's fingers and palms. She began wrapping his hand as one might wrap a boxer's hand, each finger separate.

"I know this will hurt, but it has to be firm so you can use your hands without feeling the pain," she told him. "Keep talking."

He grimaced. "Sure… so, while I was in Castle Oblivion, Vexie and I kinda went at it. It was funny… he ordered me to do something and I told him, 'Don't tell me I don't respect my elders.' And then later, when I killed him –"

"I thought Sora killed him," Bruixe said.

"Well, that's the official story," Axel admitted. "Sora did fight him… but I finished him off. And I said, 'Now you can tell me I don't respect my elders.'"

Bruixe laughed despite herself. "Nice."

"You shoulda seen his face," he reminisced. Then he blinked. "Hey, you're bleeding."

Suddenly Bruixe remembered the long cut on her face. She reached up to touch it; the side of her face was crusty with dried blood. She shrugged. "I'll patch it later. Here, give me your other hand."

Axel obeyed, shaking his head. "Do you ever think about yourself?"

"Of course," she replied automatically.

He raised an eyebrow. "I beg to differ. Everything you do is to protect someone. You protected me and Roxas, even though the Organization hated you for it. Demyx had it right when he called you the Avenger."

The mention of Demyx made her face fall. "You know, he's gonna be in trouble because of us," she said softly.

"You mean, because of you," Axel smirked.

"That's not helping," she told him.

Axel flexed his fingers experimentally as she finished wrapping his second hand. "It'll work," he shrugged.

Suddenly voices drifted in from outside. Bruixe stiffened.

"Is it them?" Axel whispered.

Bruixe held a finger to her lips and sprang up, pointing to the ground in a gesture that clearly said, "Stay." She crept to the front of the cave, crouching in the brush.

"…likely to be here somewhere," a deep voice was saying. _Xaldin,_ she thought.

"Of course," replied another – Saix. Bruixe stiffened. "After all, this is her home world."

"But according to the locals, she wasn't very well liked," Xaldin pointed out. "She was a political prisoner, remember? The locals would turn her in if they saw her. They haven't seen her."

"She's here," Saix maintained. "Can't you feel it? And if she wasn't liked, wouldn't it make sense that she'd have a hidey-hole out here somewhere?"

"It's a big world," Xaldin said dismissively. "Full of mountains and valleys. We may never find her here."

_Got that right,_ Bruixe thought.

"And what about the mission in Hollow Bastion?" Xaldin continued. "Aren't you the one in charge? And yet here you are, like a dog sniffing out a kill."

"The mission…" Saix began, but they had moved out of Bruixe's earshot.

"Where are you going?" Axel whispered when she started to follow them.

"To eavesdrop," she replied.

"Are you nuts?" he hissed. "What if they see you?"

"Don't worry," Bruixe assured him. "I'm like, James Bond or something."

She kept low to the ground, crouching in the tall grass like a hunting tiger, stealing ever closer to the two men. A patrol of Dragoons swarmed overhead, scanning from the skies, but Bruixe was confident they wouldn't see her; lesser Nobodies weren't known for their brains. It was the circle of Berserkers surrounding the pair that Bruixe was worried about. The trick would be getting close enough to hear.

But Saix and Xaldin made no effort to lower their voices. "What if Sora arrives early?" Xaldin was asking. "Bruixe was supposed to have stalled him. Now that she's gone…"

"The Superior already has an idea to that regard," the Diviner replied. "After all… we still have one traitor among us."

"That weakling?" Xaldin scoffed. "Demyx wouldn't last five seconds against the Keybearer."

"Don't underestimate him," Saix said smoothly. "Of course, he's no match for us… but he may slow Sora down enough to make a difference."

_No,_ Bruixe thought. _Not Demyx. Anyone but him. No…_

She turned and ran as fast as she could without making noise back to the cave.

"What's wrong?" Axel demanded as she practically fell into the hideaway.

Bruixe looked up with steel in her eyes. "I'm going back for Demyx."


	22. Avenge the Avenger

The last chapter… I kept thinking about Final Fantasy 7 Crisis Core when I wrote this. You play it and you know how it ends, you know it's going to be tragic, you're ready for it, but it doesn't make it any less sad. Sigh.

You all should know how this ends… so here we go. Enjoy.

* * *

_Somewhere weakness is our strength,  
__And I'll die searching for it  
__I can't let myself regret such selfishness  
__My pain and all the trouble cause  
__No matter how long I believe that there's hope  
__This is how we'll dance when they try to take us down  
__This is how we'll sing out loud  
__This is how we'll stand when they burn our houses down  
__This is what will be, oh glory_

- Paramore, "Let the Flames Begin"

* * *

"I'd tell you you're nuts, but I think we've been over this before," Axel said.

"I don't care," Bruixe told him. "That mission was meant for me. If I'd stayed, Demyx would be fine."

"And you'd be dead," Axel argued.

"I don't care!" she shouted again. "Point is, he got us out of there, and now they're sending him on a suicide mission that was supposed to be mine. I can't not go after him. I owe him my life, you do too. And even if we didn't – Demyx is our friend."

"But how are we gonna get to him?" he pointed out. "Sneaking out of the castle is one thing. Sneaking in is practically impossible."

"We aren't sneaking in," she said firmly.

Axel opened his mouth to argue, but was silent as he realized her meaning.

"Bullshit," he said, voice dangerously soft. "You're not leaving me behind."

"Yes I am," Bruixe told him. "You're hurt. You're not going to be much good in a fight, no offense. And you've already been locked up once, I won't let it happen again."

He eyed her dubiously. "You're trying to protect me."

"Yeah," she agreed. "Don't argue with me, you won't win."

Axel kicked the wall angrily. "And what if you don't come back?" he demanded. "What if something happens? I won't just sit here and watch you walk away."

"Sorry," she whispered. "But really… you'd kind of slow me down."

He was silent for a moment as he absorbed that. Finally he spoke. "You never think about yourself. Just look at you." He reached up to gently touch the gash on her face. "You're reckless and you don't care what happens to you, right? You're the Avenger for everyone else. But who's going to avenge you?"

Bruixe couldn't answer that. "Doesn't matter," she said. "Look, I'm the only one who can go after Demyx right now. If I don't help him no one will. I can't not go."

"I know," Axel agreed softly. "It's just that… I get this feeling that if you walk out of here… I'll never see you again. And… I don't want that to happen."

"I'll be fine," she told him.

"And what if you're not?" he asked desperately.

Bruixe swallowed. "Look, I'm not going to stay just because you're worried about me."

"I know," he said. "I just… don't want you to go… without saying goodbye."

He moved toward her, and Bruixe knew what he was going to do but didn't smack him, didn't even pull away, just let him kiss her because he was right, she probably wouldn't come back, and she didn't want to remember him by violence. If she'd had a heart, it would be breaking… but then, she'd never wanted it back anyway.

Finally he pulled away. She couldn't look at him, and her mind jumped to the only thing she knew to do in awkward situations – brush it off. "You'd better hope I don't see you again," she said with bravado. "Because if I do, I'm going to freaking break your jaw for that."

The tattoos on his face seemed to be tears under his green eyes, mourning for her already. "I won't regret it," he told her.

"I know," Bruixe whispered, and then backed into a portal, unable to face his sorrowful eyes any longer.

* * *

She arrived in the Dark City and quickly looked around; the streets were deserted for now. _Well, it's the last place they would think to look for me, right?_ she thought.

Bruixe ignored the Heartless completely, pushing through their ranks until she reached the castle entrance, which stopped her.

It was nighttime here in the World That Never Was, which meant that most of the Organization was likely in bed. However, she had no idea if Xemnas would have posted sentries to look for her and Axel. Would he have assumed Bruixe wouldn't be foolish enough to come back? Or would he have played it safe?

_Doesn't matter,_ she realized. _This is the only way in. If I have to fight my way through, well then, so be it._

She darted up the shimmering walkway, feeling exposed, and slipped into the entryway. Xigbar's Sniper guards winked into existence, but they were stupid creatures. Vexen had explained it to her once – the Nobodies relied on the presence of hearts to direct their deadly aim. If a person had no heart, they were practically invisible to the Snipers. No, these guards were designed to protect against other intruders – like the Keybearer.

Bruixe found no one in the halls, and it unnerved her. This was too easy. Surely someone should be out here. But she made it to Proof of Existence without seeing a single Organization member.

The strange medley of blue and red stones greeted her, pulsing gently. She found Demyx's and stepped through the door to the Nocturne's room.

"Demyx," she hissed. "Wake up."

"Number Nine is not here," said a low voice, and then she knew no more.

* * *

Bruixe woke with a throbbing pain in the back of her skull and a mouthful of sand. She was on the beach? She pushed herself up, coughing, only to be shoved back down by what felt like a foot on her back.

"Down, traitor," Xaldin said.

"What – how…?" Bruixe managed to choke out.

She was answered by a sneering laugh, which she recognized as Saix's. "Did you really think you would take us by surprise?" the Diviner mocked. "Of course we knew you would come try to rescue your little inside-agent. Isn't it obvious? You played right into our trap."

Realization crashed down upon her with all the force of a freight train.

Saix crouched down next to her in the sand. "And now, dear Bruixe," he hissed, "you are going to die."

"Like hell," she spat, struggling to get out from under Xaldin's foot.

"Temper," the Diviner chided, standing. "Let her up, Xaldin, and give her back her weapons."

"Is this really necessary?" Xaldin asked, but complied, and Bruixe scrambled to her feet. Xaldin produced her long knives – they looked puny in his huge hands – and tossed them blade-down into the sand.

She could take Saix unarmed easily. Armed, maybe. But not Saix and Xaldin together. Impossible.

_Well,_ she thought, _if I'm going down, I'm not doing it without a fight._

And whoever said she had to fight fair?

She retrieved her blades and whispered, "You're gonna regret this."

Rogues sprang up around her: ten, twenty, fifty, as many as she could summon, and they looked at Saix, hissing and clicking. Then with a single motion, they crouched and pounced upon the Diviner.

But he only smiled gleefully, and suddenly they stopped. Turned to look at her.

"You shouldn't have betrayed us," Saix said mockingly, and he snapped his fingers. Then they were upon her – her own Nobodies – and she fell beneath their blades, forearms flung up over her face, yelling.

"Traitors!" she screamed in agony, and twilight magic exploded around her, blasting the creatures away. Bruixe tried to get up but couldn't seem to get the message to her muscles.

But then Saix's claymore was swinging down through the air at her, and reflex took over – she rolled away, sand clinging to her wounds, blood dripping down her fingers. She staggered to her feet, only to hear movement behind her. She whirled and met one of Xaldin's lances with a kodachi, ducking under a second and third. She blocked another, but the Lancer was stronger than she'd expected, and with a sickening _crunch_ she felt her wrist break.

Bruixe dropped her short sword, gritting her teeth, and then pain spread across her back, white-hot pain, more than she'd ever felt in her life –

"Die," Saix hissed from behind her, and tore the claymore back out of her flesh as she fell, face down in the sand.

"How disappointing," she heard the Diviner finish. _Axel was right._ _Who avenges me?_ she thought dimly, and then, nothing.

* * *

**A/N. **Wow… it's over. Like I said, tragic. But you guys know how it turns out. That is, if you read The Last Nobody, you do. If not, why the hell did you read this in the first place? (Not that I don't appreciate it.)

Anyway, I've had some requests for a Part Three – a sequel to The Last Nobody. I've got a basic plot down, and I can write it and it will be good. Here's a little excerpt:

'Why? Why had she gained a heart? Not to have it torn, rent, shredded to bits. Not for this.  
'Because she knew what the right decision was. But she also knew – knew in her heart, damn the thing to hell – that she could never, ever do it.  
'People were incredibly selfish creatures, she'd seen it before. But she'd never really applied that to herself. Some how she'd thought herself above all of that.  
'She'd never realized how wrong she was.  
'Because there really wasn't a choice, was there?  
'"I'm sorry," she whispered, and raised her blade.'

- from _Shatterheart_

But here's the thing: if no one's going to read it, I won't post it. So click on that little review button down there – it's not hard, I know you can do it – and just tell me, yes or no, would you read a sequel? Please. Thanks for reading, guys. You've been great.


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